17 Mar 2014

10 dead, 2 missing in Vanuatu after Lusi

2:54 pm on 17 March 2014

Ten people are dead in Vanuatu and two still missing after Cyclone Lusi.

The country's National Disaster Management Office says the cyclone displaced 112 people and affected 20,000 households.

Lusi hit Vanuatu over two days, damaging crops and infrastructure, flooding towns and contaminating the water supply.

The Office says 38 houses were destroyed with 11 in Maewo in Penama Province and 27 in Emae in Shefa Province.

The director of the NDMO, Shadrack Welegtabit, says there was one death in Pentecost, one in Malekula and eight in Santo, after a mudslide on the island.

"Most of them died due to the mudslides that occured inland in Santo. Most of them died during that mudslide."

Shadrack Welegtabit says the other two died after being struck by falling tree branches.

An assessment team will be deployed this week to check on damages to homes and gardens.