Red Alert in Vanuatu as Cyclone ULA Approaches

Cat 4 ULA packing winds of 175 km/hr continues to intensify

Vanuatu government has issued a red alert for the Tafea province, urging residents to stay indoors as powerful Cyclone ULA approaches the country’s southern portion.

TC Warning issued by meteo.gov.vu

Tropical Cyclone Warning Number 11 for TAFEA province.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Number 11 issued by the Vanuatu Meteorology and 
Geo-Hazards Department, Port Vila at 8:54pm VUT Sunday 10 January 2016 for
TAFEA province.

At 8:00pm local time, Severe Tropical Cyclone Ula (941 hPa) Category 4 was 
located at 20.8 degrees South 170.5 degrees East. The Severe Tropical Cyclone 
is positioned at the bottow center of square letter J, number 10 (J,10) 
of the Vanuatu Tropical Cyclone Tracking Map. This is about 95 KM southeast 
of Aneityum and 190 KM southeast of Tanna. Severe Tropical Cyclone Ula 
has moved in a southwest direction at 14 KM/HR in the past 3 hours.

Winds close to the center are estimated at 175 KM/HR and continue to intensify. 
Expected position of the system in the next 6 hours will be near 
22.6 degrees South 170.0 degrees East.  

Damaging Strong to Gale force winds of 65 to 75 KM/HR will continue to affect 
Anietyum, Futuna and south of Tanna tonight and slowlt decreasing as Tropical cyclone Ula
slowly moves southwards.

Forecast Positions
Date and Time                     Position                 Intensity
+06 hours (2am, 11 Jan)           21.6S, 170.1E            95 KTS (175 KM/HR)
+12 hours (8am, 11 Jan)           22.6S, 170.0E            90 KTS (165 KM/HR)
+18 hours (2pm, 11 Jan)           23.6S, 170.0E            90 KTS (165 KM/HR)
+24 hours (8pm, 11 Jan)           24.8S, 170.3E            90 KTS (165 KM/HR)
+36 hours (8am, 12 Jan)           27.2S, 171.5E            90 KTS (165 KM/HR)
+48 hours (8pm, 12 Jan)           29.3S, 173.4E            80 KTS (150 KM/HR)

Heavy rain and possible flooding in low lying areas and areas close to the river 
banks including coastal flooding are expected. Very rough to 
phenomenal seas with heavy swells are also expected.

The Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) advises that RED Alert 
is still in effect for TAFEA province. For action on this alert, call NDMO on 
22699 or 33366.

The next warning on Severe Tropical Cyclone Ula will be issued at 12:00am.
Therefore, people over TAFEA are advised to continue to listen to all Radio 
Outlets to get the latest information on this system. 

This warning is also available on VMGD's website www.meteo.gov.vu 

Last March Cyclone PAM tore through Vanuatu’s south islands, killing or injuring  dozens of people, leaving about 50,000 people homeless and destroying 90 percent of their crops.

Cyclone PAM: “Entire communities have been blown away”

Links sent by Tom C.

Super Cyclone PAM probably caused “one of the worst disasters ever seen in the Pacific”

Up to 90 per cent of homes in Vanuatu’s capital Port Villa has reportedly  been seriously damaged by Super Cyclone PAM, leaving “most” of the population homeless, with no information available yet as to the fate of more than 33,000 people who live on the extremely vulnerable outer islands. 

“This is likely to be one of the worst disasters ever seen in the Pacific,” said Oxfam Country Director in Port Vila, Colin Collet van Rooyen.

“Entire communities have been blown away.”

Cyclone PAM made a direct hit on Vanuatu island late Friday, plowing through the archipelago of 65 islands [pop. ~ 270,000] with supercharged force.

“With more than 250,000 people at risk from the severe tropical cyclone there is real concern of a potentially high death toll and of enormous destruction, particularly given the traditional housing that is so prevalent through the islands,” said the report.

“Cyclone Pam has destroyed all but one of mobile towers in Port Vila so no comms between Efate and both nth and sth provinces,” said a UNICEF employee. Read more…

Tuvalu, Kiribati, Solomon Islands

Meantime, Tuvalu’s prime minister has declared a state of emergency, after the deadly cyclone caused widespread flash floods, severely affecting about half of his nation’s population.

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

• Hospital, morgue and schools all damaged by Cyclone Pam
• Stories of devastation from Vanuatu in the aftermath of Cyclone Pam

FIRE-EARTH Links

• PAM Wreaks “Complete Devastation” in Vanuatu March 14, 2015
• Super Cyclone PAM Devastating South Pacific Nations March 13, 2015

PAM Wreaks “Complete Devastation” in Vanuatu

Super Cyclone PAM devastates Vanuatu islands

The category five monster cyclone smashed into Vanuatu islands in the South Pacific, wreaking “complete devastation.”

There are fears that dozens have lost their lives, and entire villages razed,  in what may be one of the region’s deadliest, and most destructive weather disasters.

Super Cyclone Pam, charged with sustained winds of 275km/h, gusting up to 340 km/hr [FIRE-EARTH estimates based on blog models,] slammed directly into the island nation late Friday.

“The damage is quite extensive in Port Vila but there are so many more vulnerable islands. I can’t even imagine what it’s like in those vulnerable communities,” said an emergency communications officer with World Vision in Port Vila, citing reports that entire villages in remote areas have been destroyed.

“The scene here this morning is complete devastation – houses are destroyed, trees are down, roads are blocked and people are wandering the streets looking for help,” said Tom Skirrow of Save the Children.

“Communications are down across much of the country with the total extent of the devastation unlikely to be known for several days.”

Some 44 people may have lost their lives in Penama province in the north-east of Vanuatu, said the UN’s Office for the Co-ordination for Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA).

“There are destructive winds, rain, flooding, landslides, sea surges and very rough seas and the storm is exceedingly destructive there,” said Australian Foreign Minister.

“While it is too early to say for certain, early reports are indicating that this weather disaster could potentially be one of the worst in Pacific history,” said a UNICEF spokesperson.

“The sheer force of the storm combined with communities just not set up to withstand it, could have devastating results for thousands across the region.”

Related Links

• Super Cyclone PAM Devastating South Pacific Nations March 13, 2015

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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