Cyclone Pam: One of the Pacific's worst, says Oxfam head

Cyclone Pam has damaged 90 percent of housing and major infrastructure in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila. Photo / Humans of Vanuatu

The head of Oxfam says the destruction caused by Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu is "likely to be one of the worst disasters ever seen in the Pacific".

The organisation has sent a 10 person team to the archipelago, with a population of 250,000, which was hit by the cyclone early on the morning of Saturday March 14.

Executive director of Oxfam Rachel Le Mesurier said the cyclone was "worse than the worst case scenario" and one of the biggest disasters the Pacific had seen.

The capital Port Vila, on the main island of Efate, has been left with 90 per cent of housing and major infrastructure damaged - including the hospital, the morgue and schools.

However, Le Mesurier said Oxfam was increasingly concerned for those people on the isolated outer islands, where communication was still down, who had had little protection from the 250kmh winds.

The death toll currently stands at 24 but was expected to rise, particularly as food supplies ran out.

Head of Oxfam in Vanuatu Collin Collet van Rooyen said his team was seeing "devastation scenes" with" entire communities gone".

He said clean water and hygiene supplies were a major issue for those left homeless or those staying in one of the country's 37 evacuation centres - which couldn't meet the demand of the number of people using the facilities.

In an appeal to the international community President of Vanuatu Baldwin Lonsdale referred to the cyclone as a "monster" and said the "humanitarian need is immediate".

The New Zealand government has said it will initially contribute US$1.8 million to Pacific nations affected by Cyclone Pam.

Oxfam has launched a full scale appeal to help those affected by the cyclone.

To make a donation

• Oxfam New Zealand
• New Zealand Red Cross
• Unicef New Zealand
• Rotary New Zealand
• World Vision
• Tear Fund
• Save the Children

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