[MarkofSeaLife]

BBC report. BBC News - Vanuatu president calls for help after cyclone destruction

 

[mbianka]

Sadly looks like a lot of the boats in the harbor did not make it. Though besides the debris a lot of the buildings in this video looked pretty much intact. Amazing considering the power of the storm. But, other areas may have been hit much worse as more info comes in. I hope not though.

 

[casey1999]

Sadly looks like a lot of the boats in the harbor did not make it. Though besides the debris a lot of the buildings in this video looked pretty much intact. Amazing considering the power of the storm. But, other areas may have been hit much worse as more info comes in. I hope not though.

From what I hear, most people on the island are now homeless.

 

[jerryrlitton]

1110z winds still 100kts moving SE 25kts

 

[killarney_sailor]

Vanuatu gets frequent and strong earthquakes. When we were there a 7.5 hit. I think that in Port Vila buildings are constructed to a very high standard because they are prepared for quakes and cyclones. Once you get away from the city, the houses are much simpler and just made of wood, corrugated metal and the like. These would likely be flexible when there is a quake but would not stand up to Category 5 winds. Fortunately these houses could be rebuilt fairly easily.

 

[Group9]

Sadly looks like a lot of the boats in the harbor did not make it. Though besides the debris a lot of the buildings in this video looked pretty much intact. Amazing considering the power of the storm. But, other areas may have been hit much worse as more info comes in. I hope not though.

That's what I as thinking. I went Katrina on the Mississippi gulf coast, and compared to that, these pictures don't look that bad. But, I also remember that the first few days (and weeks in some cases), people couldn't really get to the worst hit areas, so a lot of the pictures were of areas less heavily damaged.

I do feel for the people who live there. For the first few days after something like this, before help shows up, you basically go back to living like they did in Medieval Europe. But, it's balanced, and overcome, by a sense of purpose as you help each other and rebuild.

Still the single worst and best thing I ever went through as a person. It truly strips away the thin veneer of civilization, and you quickly see people as they really are. Some good, and some not so good.