Kreetika Kumar 
[Source: Vanuatu Daily Post]
As Vanuatu grapples with the aftermath of Tuesday’s devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake, the looming threat of a tropical cyclone adds another layer of complexity to an already challenging situation.
Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation chief executive officer Francis Herman told FBC News that residents are preparing for the possibility of a cyclone developing around Christmas, with the weather office estimating a 60 percent chance of it occurring.
He warned that this could significantly delay recovery efforts.
Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation chief executive officer Francis Herman (Source: Vanuatu Daily Post)
Herman said communication to the 320,000 residents of Vanuatu has largely been reliant on national public service radio.
“We are bracing ourselves for the possibility or the weather office is telling us 60 percent probability that a cyclone will develop around Christmas or before Christmas. So that’s going to severely hamper and put back all efforts”
Herman said although electricity was slowly being restored, intermittent power supply remained an issue for many residents.
He said while water services have been restored to parts of the capital Port Vila, communication remained one of the biggest obstacles to the recovery process.
Herman said that the limited resources available have been supplemented by international support, with Australian, New Zealand, and French defense forces playing a pivotal role in speeding up the recovery process.
