11 Jan 2016

No immediate help needed for Vanuatu province post-Ula

7:56 pm on 11 January 2016

The National Disaster Management Office in Vanuatu says no assistance is needed for the Tafea Province at this stage after Cyclone Ula moved to the south of the group.

Ula strengthened to a category four cyclone as it tracked towards the province over the weekend but preliminary reports indicate minimal damage was caused as it moved away.

The NDMO's Peter Korisa says the office has met with government officials, NGOs and aid agencies to discuss how they may assist the southern most islands.

Peter Korisa, Operations Manager at the NDMO, said the scale of the destruction from Cyclone Pam had never been seen before in Vanuatu.

The NDMO's Peter Korisa Photo: RNZI / Koroi Hawkins

However Mr Korisa says their informal networks have indicated there is little damage aside from flooded crops.

He says provincial authorities haven't asked for assistance yet.

"It seems that the situation is not that severe that really requires immediate humanitarian response. Reports seem to be slow a bit because damage is not that huge."

Peter Korisa says the silver lining of the storm is that areas that had been facing water shortages received rain over the past few days.