State of emergency declared in Vanuatu after second cyclone in a week

A state of emergency was declared in Vanuatu as category 4 Cyclone Kevin brought gale-force winds and torrential rain to the Pacific nation battling its second major cyclone in a week.

Cyclone Kevin passed over the capital Port Vila late on Friday and was moving across the southern island province of Tafea on Saturday morning, bringing wind gusts in excess of 230km/h, according to the country’s meteorology department.

Spread across 13 principal islands in the south-western Pacific, Vanuatu has already been hit by extreme weather this week, after Cyclone Judy battered Port Vila on Wednesday, cutting power and forcing some residents to evacuate.

On Friday, the government declared a state of emergency and the prime minister, Ishmael Kalsakau, said officials were working to assess the damage, according to Radio New Zealand.

All boats were advised to avoid going to sea and a red alert was in effect for Tafea province, home to just over 30,000 people, according to the National Disaster Management Office.

Winds were expected to weaken over the next six to 12 hours as Cyclone Kevin continues moving south-east, away from Vanuatu.

Unicef Pacific said it was shipping emergency supplies to Vanuatu from Fiji to support disaster relief.

Meanwhile, on Friday Australia said it would send a 12-person assessment team to Vanuatu along with emergency supplies including shelters and water purification equipment. The Royal Australian Air Force will also help with aerial damage assessments.

“The Australian Defence Force as a part of the whole-of-government effort is coordinating closely with the Pacific family to provide the best support possible to the Ni-Vanuatu people,” the Australian defence minister, Richard Marles, said.