Emergency aid and relief supplies have begun to arrive in Vanuatu, the small Pacific island nation devastated by the ravages of tropical cyclone Pam this weekend.
The category five storm is one of the worst natural disasters to have ever hit the region, with aid agencies describing the devastation as "apocalyptic". Winds of up to 200mph destroyed homes, roads and bridges and brought down phone and power lines.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The official death toll in Vanuatu stands at eight, but aid agencies fear the number could rise significantly as rescue teams finally reach the country's outlying islands.
Vanuatu's president said the "monster" cyclone had "wiped out" the country's development. Baldwin Lonsdale, who happened to be in Japan at a disaster risk conference when the storm struck, made a tearful appeal for aid and assistance from the international community.
Although emergency supplies have begun to arrive in Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, aid agencies warn that it may take days to reach the remote villages across the archipelago's 80 islands. Thousands of people are now homeless as a result of the storm.
Lonsdale says climate change has contributed to changing weather patterns in the region, sea level rise and an increase in the prevalence of cyclones. "This year we have more [cyclones] than in any year. Yes, climate change is contributing to this," he said.
The president of Kiribati, another Pacific island nation affected by Pam, said it was time for international leaders to "match the rhetoric" and take urgent action to combat the effects of climate change, according to The Guardian.
"For leaders of low-lying island atolls, the hazards of global warming affect our people in different ways, and it is a catastrophe that impinges on our rights … and our survival into the future," said Anote Tong.
-
7 mountain hotels perfect for a tranquil autumn or winter escapeThe Week Recommends Get (altitude) high and unwind
-
‘Deskilling’: a dangerous side effect of AI useThe explainer Workers are increasingly reliant on the new technology
-
The biggest sports betting scandals in historyIn Depth The recent indictments of professional athletes were the latest in a long line of scandals
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
