Super Cyclone PAM Devastating South Pacific Nations

PAM bearing down on Vanuatu after devastating several South Pacific nations

PAM a SUPERCHARGED category five tropical storm, is bearing down on Vanuatu after causing destruction in several South Pacific nations, including Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu.

Vanuatu authorities issued a red alert nationwide, after the cyclone moved closer and was expected to hit the capital, Port Vila, Friday night.

Meantime, the Vanuatu Meteorological Services (VMS) issued the following warning:

At 12:00am local time, Severe Tropical Cyclone PAM was located at 17.8 degrees South 168.7 degrees East. This is about 45km east of Port Vila and 105km north northwest of Erromango. Severe Tropical  Cyclone PAM moved in a south direction at 17 km/hr in the past 3 hours.

The central pressure of the system is estimated at 900 hPa. Winds close to the centre are estimated at 250 km/hr. Severe Tropical Cyclone PAM is forecast to be at 20.2 degrees South 169.2 degrees East within the next 06 to 12 hours.

Very Destructive Hurricane Force winds of 255 km/hr is affecting SHEFA, MALAMPA and PENAMA provinces and slowly extending to TAFEA province.

Destructive Storm Force winds of 120 km/hr will continue to affect SANMA and TORBA provinces, slowly decreasing to gale force winds of 75 km/hr as the system moves further southward.

Very Destructive winds and very rough to phenomenal seas with heavy swells is affecting TORBA, PENAMA, SANMA, MALAMPA, SHEFA and TAFEA provinces. Heavy to torrential rainfalls and flooding, including flash flooding are expected over low lying areas and areas close to the river banks. Landslide is also expected. Coastal flooding from storm surge is expected near and along the coastal areas.

State of Emergency in Tuvalu

PAM has already caused flash flooding in the island nation of Tuvalu, located midway between Hawaii and Australia, forcing the authorities to declare a state of emergency.

The cyclone has also flattened homes, flooded fields and destroyed crops in Kiribati and the Solomon Islands, affecting thousands of families, said reports.

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Turrialba Volcano Explodes Raining Ash on Costa Rica Capital

Volcanic ash from Turrialba rains on Costa Rica capital San José

Volcanologists at the University of Costa Rica have reported at least four explosions at Turrialba Volcano starting Thursday local time.

Plumes of smoke, ash and volcanic gasses rose up to a height of about 1km above the crater’s summit, located some 50km  northeast of the capital San José.

Winds carried the ash and gasses from the volcano the capital, where it rained on cars and homes, restricting visibility and causing eye irritation, said local media.

Camera located in the crater of the Turrialba volcano, about 600 meters east of the active crater (looking west). The image is refreshed every 10 seconds. Source: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional.

“We have recommended the evacuation of people and small animals as a precautionary measure because the last explosion was very strong,” said a spokesman for the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OBSIVORI).

The explosions follow two earthquakes which occurred near the Pacific coast of Costa Rica along the Middle America Trench, northwest of Fisher Seamount.

The larger of the two quakes measured magnitude 5.4Mw, and occurred at 10.603°N, 86.463°W, some 89km (55mi) W of Sardinal, Costa Rica, depth of 20.9km, at 16:23 UTC Wednesday.

Volcanic ash forced the closure of Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaría International Airport, said a report.