Transcript
Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office says it is getting a clearer picture of the extent of damage caused by Cyclone Cook when it hit the country on Sunday. There has been some damage to crops, parts of Efate were flooded and a number people were forced to seek emergency shelter. The department's planning and research officer, Peter Korisa, says Cyclone Cook caused moderate damage and assessments are still in the preliminary stage.
"So far our team is trying to focus on working with provincial authorities just to do some assessments and our focus is now more on assessment particularly moreso the sanitation, infrastructure, and education."
He says there is some wind and flood damage to root crops, but farmers should recover quickly.
"The impact is more higher on crops like papaya or banana and cassava of course and that is the common food among people particularly those living in rural areas."
World Vision says luckily the impact of Cyclone Cook is less than the damage caused by Cyclone Pam two years ago, which was a category five. The organisation's acting programme director Ceasar Gayadon says mainly crops situated in low lying areas on Efate were the worst affected, but the impact is nowhere near as bad or as costly, compared to the devastation caused by Cyclone Pam.
"There are some areas here in Efate but only those that are fully within or near the seashore or near some of the rivers that were really affected as there was heavy rain. So of course all the ordinary people doing their small gardens, they were really the ones most affected."
He says Ni-Vanuatu are resilient and used to having cyclones but 200 people had to be evacuated during Cook but most had returned to their homes by Tuesday morning. Mr Gayadon says the good thing is the market crops are unlikely to be affected this time.
"Not really affecting the sources of food to the market here as it is coming from some of the other provinces also."
Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce Senior Agribusiness Project Officer, Francois Kavirere, works closely with many Vanuatu farmers to develop local farming practices. He says he always emphasises the importance of cyclone resistant crops.
"When the farm is devastated by the cyclone we have to start again. So we have to educate them about cyclone resistant crops so when a cyclone hits it can't damage the plant very much and ensures food security inside the farm."
The storm intensified to category three when it later passed over New Caledonia but reports from there indicate damage and disruption was minimal. The remnants of the cyclone are now moving towards New Zealand where it is expected to bring substantial rain.
