Situation Report

Subject: Tropical Situation Report 03 Date: 09.04.2020

1.

o UNOSAT has received the first cloud-free satellite acquisitions covering the areas of (Espiritu Santo Island) and The Northern parts of island, in Sanma and Malampa provinces respectively. Widespread damage could be observed in several areas of Luganville where many houses and structures had their roofs ripped off. Damaged structures could be also observed in the northern parts of Malekula municipality. http://unosat-maps.web.cern.ch/unosat- maps/VU/TC20200403VUT/UNOSAT_Preliminary_Assessment_Report_Vanuatu_08042020.pdf o Communications have been re-established in Santo and Melekula. Communication problems still persist in Pentecost. o Santo airport and airstrips on South Pentecost, North Malekula, West , and West Abnae are operational. Further checks to be conducted in North Pentecost, East Ambrym, and South Malekula. o Initial Damage Assessments are currently being conducted in affected areas. Detailed information on needs to be produced next week. (for information on individual flights see under WASH and NGOs) o Assessment of key infrastructures underway. Public Works Units and Community Contractors on affected islands have been engaged in clearing roads.

HEALTH & NUTRITION o Health facility in Melsisi (South Pentecost) has been completely destroyed. Staff housing also significantly damaged. o Field hospital/facility needed for South Pentecost. Lower floor of damaged building is being considered by Emergency Medical Team (EMT) as temporary medical ward. 12 antenatal cases expecting deliveries within the month. High rate of asthmatics reported. o Initial assessment has anticipated the increase on cases of malnutrition among children and therefore one of the priority actions in the response plan is to minimize risk of malnutrition. o Early detection/screening of children under five years for severe acute malnutrition will be made through use of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) tapes by community health workers and any accompanied medical complications would be identified o Once referred for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), treatment of any identified cases of SAM will be ensured through appropriate provincial and national hospitals. o An emergency prepositioning of essential lifesaving supplies has been made at Central Medical Store and Provincial medical stores, mainly of MUAC tapes for assessment/detection and F-75, F-100 and Resomal and RuTF for treatment of SAM. But, there are no sufficient supplies for the expected caseload. (precise details known after assessments have been conducted) o Discussion ongoing between UNICEF and Ministry of Health on need for immediate support of essential supplies.

PROTECTION o PHPC members through national offices and local partners are supporting the Vanuatu Gender and Protection Cluster (GPC) to joint the government’s initial assessments.

PHT Sitrep 3_TC Harold 09_04_2020 1 of 4 o GPC Port Vila based teams will support the provinces of Sanma, Penama, Malampa. A GP cluster team is heading down to Luganville to coordinate response. They are working on a response plan focusing on TC Harold with the integration of COVID-19 measures. o Direct technical coordination assistance is provided by UN Women supported advisor placed in the Department of Women Affairs. o UNFPA has 1,000 dignity kits pre positioned ready to be deployed. o CARE will conduct a combined rapid gender analysis for TC Harold and COVID-19. CARE also has pre- positioned items with their national partner MORDI from Rotary. o Pacific Disability Forum is working with national DPOs and Australia Humanitarian Partnership partners to ensure disability inclusion in assessments and response.

EDUCATION o An Education Rapid Assessment in the coming days will identify the number of schools affected and the level of damage. o Rapid Assessment Form for the Education sector was reviewed, updated, and approved by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET). Printing/reproduction of the forms as well as uploading to Kobo was also completed. o List of MoET representatives to the NDMO Rapid Assessment team was confirmed and ready to be deployed. The team departed today to affected areas. o Members of the MoET Team for Education Rapid Assessment (Provincial and Central Office staff) were identified. General briefing and enumarators’ orientation on the updated assessment forms (Kobo) were held today. The team's deployment date is TBC. o TC Harold Response Plan (4Ws) was developed by MoET TC Harold Task Force and approved by the MoET SMT. o Collation of pre-positioned stocks available from UNICEF, Save the Children and Education Cluster members.

EMERGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS o Telecommunications still out in some affected areas. More detailed assessments planned for the coming days. o ETC has located satellite dish hardware that could potentially be used as part of the immediate response. This hardware can be used with capacity from one of ETC’s satellite operator partners to provide connectivity and satellite capacity under the crisis connectivity charter. o The information was sent to the authorities in Vanuatu on 08 April. ETC awaiting feedback.

LOGISTICS o Significant damage to Luganville which is a transport hub for the ongoing response in Santo. Assessments currently being carried out. o Signigicant damages also reported across islands (Santo, Malekula, Pentecost and Ambrym). o Damages to airstrips are currently being rectified. Little information about conditions of ports available at this time. o International cargo restrictions into counry will be a challenge for agencies as well as restrictions of travel of humanitarian personnel from abroad. o Pre-positioned stocks available https://palm.logcluster.org/#/public/home

WASH o UNICEF chartered a flight today for a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene as well as health rapid assessment in and around Santo. The team consist of members for the Ministry of Water and WASH, UNICEF and WHO. o UNICEF is also in discussions with the Government to bring in additional WASH supplies from Australia.

PHT Sitrep 3_TC Harold 09_04_2020 2 of 4 FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOOD o The Government has reactivated the natinal Food Security Clsuter with newly established “Risk Resilience Unit” being set up in the Minsitry of Agriculture. Assessments are underway to determine current food supplies, short term needs and what will be required in the medium/long term.

SHELTER o The Vanuatu Red Cross Society – supported by the IFRC – is cooperating with NDMO in assessments and emergency relief item districutions (mostly shelter tool kits) in Pentecost with 15 volunteers from the Pentecost branch and 10 from HQ. o VRCS has an initial Emergency Plan of Action to assist up to 4,000 households country-wide. o Shelter Cluster Lead Public Works Department (PWD) present in Port Vila, and Divisional Managers leading at Provincial level. o Enough emergency shelter and essential household items for approx. 2,000 households, depending on level of damage and needs. Refer to PALM Platform for full details (see under LOGISTICS).

NGOs o With the approval of NDMO, World Vision Vanuatu hosted a charter flight to Luganville, Santo today for key partners, including DFAT, MFAT, ADRA, Save the Children, and Vanuatu Skills Partnership. The flight has the dual purpose of allowing participants to check on staff and assets and do an informal assessment of damage. o The Vanuatu Humanitarian Team (VHT), a coalition of NGOs has forwarded a list of their pre- positioned staff and resources to NDMO to support response. http://tiny.cc/VHT_Prep

FRANZ PARTNERS New Zealand: o A P-3 Orion Surveillance Plane was provided to make initial surveillance flights over affected areas. o The New Zealand Government funded NZ$ 500,000 (USD 485,000) to the Government of Vanuatu for recovery activities following the cyclone. Australia: o DFAT is currently considering a relief package for Vanuatu. France: o Conducted two surveillance flights right after the cyclone passed to establish the degree of destruction and the most affected areas. o An assistance package for Vanuatu is being considered.

OTHER PARTNERS: o The US has provided USD 100,000 for relief activities in Vanuatu.

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FIJI o An Initial Situation Overview (ISO) is being conducted with the assistance of New Zealand’s MFAT. o Various Initial Damage Assessments are ongoing. Results expected in the coming days. o At the hight of the cyclone there were 6,240 people seeking shelter in 197 centres. As of tonight, a total of 125 evacuation centres are still open. o Communication and electricity has been re-established in most areas, except in the Kadavu and Lau Group of Islands; most roads have been cleared from debris. o The Ministry of Agriculture has highlighted shortage of vegetable supplies due to heavy rain and flooding and disruptions in local agricutlrue supply chain.

FRANZ PARTNERS New Zealand o Assisted with aerial surveillance flights to conduct ISO. Australia o The Australian Government pledged AUD 250,000 (F$ 350,000) for relief efforts.

TONGA o TC Harold passed Tonga on 09 April. However, the intensity was not as severe as initially anticipated (Cat 4 instead of Cat 5), and it did not pass straight over the capital, Nuku’alofa. o There was heavy rain and strong winds and initial information indicates that agricultural areas were heavily affected by flooding and also seawater inundation. o Destruction was also reported from various beach resorts which were also severely impacted by king tides. o Initial Damage Assessments coordinated by Tonga’s National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) and partners on the ground are ongoing. o The Tongan Red Cross Society will carry out a small relief items distribution in the coming days.

http://www.gov.to/press-release/severe-tropical-cyclone-harold-category-4-forecast-track-15-threat8-wind8- maps/?fbclid=IwAR0BCngBt_6r82NUy8IfF6vpKN2gjqt-N1zuBMpToBtYS38WHOBkXmjEw-g

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