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.
Aid agencies rushed to assist those left without power, running water, and shelter.
The Australian Red Cross warned that “many people” had lost their homes, and that workers on the ground were reporting “unbelievable destruction” in the capital city of Port Vila.