The Red Cross in Vanuatu believes sending field workers into communities to warn people to get ready for Cyclone Lola has saved lives.
The storm was still a category four and five storm when it hit the islands, the fourth cyclone to hit the region in the last three years.
The provinces of Torba and Penama are believed to have suffered the worst damage, but communication was lost to the area last night and hasn't been restored.
It's estimated up to 25,000 people have been critically affected so far. Lola has since been downgraded to category three but the winds are still gusting up to 205km an hour.
Soneel Ram from the Red Cross is in Port Vila and describes the damage they know about.
