Dozens were feared dead Saturday as Tropical Cyclone Pam ravaged a string of tiny South Pacific islands as the powerful storm made its way toward New Zealand.
The Category 5 cyclone ravaged the Vanuatu island chain, particularly along its low-lying coastlines, which are vulnerable to tidal surges.
A staffer on the ground for UNICEF reported that the damage left in the storm’s wake was catastrophic as the eye of the cyclone passed.
UNICEF in Vanuatu — located between Fiji and Australia — had already said it received unconfirmed reports of deaths in the outer islands, but authorities were having a hard time communicating due to downed cellular networks and widespread power outages.