Tropical Cyclone Pam, March 2015

13 Mar 2015

Tropical Cyclone Pam made a direct hit to coastal city Port Villa, the capitol of the archipelago nation Vanuatu, as a Category 5 storm on March 13, 2015. The storm’s eye made landfall at Port Villa on the island of Efate, with winds estimated at 80 to 90 mph. The storm gathered strength and continued to move south. The islands of Erromango and Tanna, both sparsely populated, were the hardest hit, with wind gusts potentially 160 to 200 mph.

At least 24 people have been confirmed dead across the country and thousands are displaced. Ninety percent of the homes in Port Villa are reportedly damaged. The extent of damage to some outer islands is still unknown.  Buildings on the archipelago nation, particularly those outside the capitol city, tend to be made of light materials, such as straw and corrugated metals, which cannot withstand the impact of such a large storm.

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