Response operations underway in Vanuatu following Tropical Cyclone Pam

More than 3,000 people remain in shelters on Vanuatu’s main island of Efate in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Pam, which tore through the island nation on the evening of March 13 (local time). TC Pam affected most of the country, though Shefa, Tafea, Malampa, and Penama are emerging as the most heavily impacted areas (UNOCHA). Currently, government-led damage assessment teams made up of personnel from the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), the Vanuatu Humanitarian Team, the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team, IFRC (Red Cross), and non-governmental organizations are working in the field to measure the extent of damage caused by TC Pam in order to better guide response efforts.

With response operations underway, Pacific Disaster Center continues to locate and share the latest information and products from key responding agencies, and to provide an essential common operating picture and decision support system via PDC’s DisasterAWARE EMOPS (Emergency Operations) application. PDC tools, data and technology are also supporting emergency managers and humanitarian practitioners in the field, and additional data will be integrated as damage and needs assessment are conducted by PDC’s partners.

PDC will continue to provide critical Situational Awareness (SA) products with key response information. If you are an emergency manager or humanitarian practitioner and would like access to EMOPS, please request access here.

For more information on the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Pam:
• Look at the latest UNOCHA situation report, and
• Visit Relief web for additional sources and links, where PDC Situational Awareness products are also being shared. 

Read earlier PDC stories about Tropical Cyclone Pam:
• Tropical Cyclone Pam Leaves Trail of Destruction in South Pacific
• South Pacific Islands Brace for Massive Tropical Cyclone Pam
• Powerful Tropical Cyclone Pam Nears South Pacific Islands