15 Apr 2015

110,000 still without safe drinking water in Vanuatu

10:34 am on 15 April 2015

Aid agencies say they are struggling to restore water supplies to all of Vanuatu's islands a month after Cyclone Pam hit the country.

Unicef says 110, 000 people are still without access to safe drinking water.

A full report on the damage caused by the tropical storm is expected to be released later this week.

Speaking from Port Vila, Unicef's Alice Clements says several islands have had their water restored.

"But there's still some islands who are receiving water through any means possible so it could be through taking helicopters from a desalination plant on a boat through to the islands."

Locals point out the usual height of water in this fresh water well on Epi in the Shepherd Islands.

Locals point out the usual height of water in this fresh water well on Epi in the Shepherd Islands. After the cyclone none of the stored water sources were used for drinking creating a real problem for communities without fresh running water. Photo: RNZI / Koroi Hawkins

Alice Clements says people are also doing their best to rebuild their homes and plant new crops.

She says relief supplies from as far afield as Denmark are continuing to flood in.