Vanuatu braces for second major cyclone in two days, as northern province hit by earthquake

INA-  sources 


Vanuatu's capital is bracing for its second major tropical cyclone in two days, after one part of the country was hit with a magnitude-6.2 earthquake on Friday morning.

The eye of Cyclone Kevin is set to pass the capital Port Vila on Friday night, with wind gusts up to 130 kilometres per hour forecast. 
The cyclone will build to a category 4 on Saturday as it passes the capital and travels south-east.     
It comes just two days after the country was hit by category 4 Cyclone Judy, causing widespread damage and flooding.   
The northern parts of Vanuatu have already felt the full brunt of the cyclone as it builds in severity.
Carol Rovo, an emergency coordinator in the northern province of Sanma, said they were experiencing gale-force winds and heavy rainfall.
"Some parts of our island, especially the north-west and western coast, they must have a lot of damage," she said. 
"But at the moment, due to network and communication [issues], we have not reached those areas." 

The US Geological Survey reported a magnitude-6.5 earthquake just after 5am local time on Friday morning off the northern island of Espiritu Santo. 
The quake was 10km deep. No tsunami warning was issued.
The island, which has a population of about 40,000, is isolated in parts, and authorities say communication in some areas is limited. But so far no major reports of damage have been reported.    
"Everything was fine so far," Ms Rovo said.

Ms Rovo said emergency teams would have a better idea of the full damage from the cyclone and the earthquake — if any — over the coming days

Port Vila braces for second hit

Port Vila-based journalist Dan McGarry told the ABC locals had spent a "frantic morning" cleaning debris ahead of Cyclone Kevin's expected arrival on Friday night.   
"I think we're ready as we can be," he said. "Across town you could hear hammers and chainsaws." 
McGarry said the power had been out for more than 24 hours for many people, and getting clean running water was "a challenge". 
"The longer it goes on, the harder it gets for the most vulnerable," he said.

source: ABC ONLINE