A strong wind and heavy rain warnings inforce for all of Tonga has now been cancelled, a report from Tonga’s Fua’amotu weather forecasting centre at 1pm today Sunday 15 said.
“A heavy rain warning previously inforce for all of Tonga is now cancelled. A strong wind warning previously inforce for all of Tonga land areas is now cancelled”, it said.
Meanwhile Cyclone Pam has slammed into the south Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu leaving “complete devastation” and it’s now heading towards New Zealand’s northern and eastern regions.
A statement from World Bank said: “We are deeply concerned for the people of Vanuatu in the face of the devastation caused by Cyclone Pam. We are waiting for official casualty reports and stand ready to help.
The World Bank’s disaster risk management (DRM) team is monitoring the situation closely. The priority at this stage will be for the humanitarian and relief agencies to provide emergency assistance.
“Our hearts go out to the people of Vanuatu in the wake of the devastation from Cyclone Pam. Vanuatu is ranked as one of the world’s most at-risk countries to natural disasters because of its vulnerability and exposure to cyclones,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. “Cyclone Pam is a devastating reminder of the risks of disasters and we will be working closely with the Government to provide any necessary support.”
