Vanuatu – Tropical ECHO CRISIS FLASH N° 7

Period covered: 1. Map Monday 23/3/15 18:00 BKK Time – Thursday 26/3/15 17:30 BKK Time

Time of validity: Date: 26/3/15 Time: 10:30 UTC

ECHO Field Office: Bangkok - Thailand

Number of people affected: 166 000 (OCHA)

Number of refugees and/or internally displaced persons (IDPs) 616 (OCHA)

Number of dead: 11 confirmed (OCHA)

Number of missing: Still unknown

Number of wounded: Still unknown 2. Situation

OCHA reports that as at 25 March the majority of people in evacuation centres have returned home. Food and tarpaulins have been distributed to communities. At the time of reporting, only 616 people remain in evacuation centres in Island. Transitional sites have been identified for vulnerable groups that cannot return home.

WFP indicates that food assistance has been dispatched to all 22 cyclone- affected islands and will reach more than 160 000 people. Distributions have been completed in 11 islands of . High-energy biscuits are being distributed to 37 000 people in locations with water shortage (Yongoa, , , , Makira, , , Tanna and Aniwa ECHO Emergency Contact islands). Tel.: +32 2 29 21112 Fax: +32 2 29 86651 Assessment data suggests that 50% of schools in Tafea, Torba, Penama, [email protected] Malampa and Shefa provinces have been partially or totally damaged by Pam. Approximately 30 000 children of school age have

ECHO Crisis Flash n°7 – – Tropical Cyclone Pam Page 1 of 2 been affected.

Fuel supplies are running low on the islands. Electricity is mostly unavailable and generators are in demand.

3. Assistance

As of 25 March, OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service (FTS) recorded USD 18 million in financial contributions (mainly Australia: USD 8.27 million, United Kingdom: USD 2.46 million, New Zealand USD: 1.8 million, EU: USD 1.26 million and UAE: USD 1.2 million). Of this total, USD 5.1 million contributes to the Flash Appeal. It excludes USD 12.8 million in outstanding pledges (mainly Asian Development Bank: USD 5 million, China: USD 4.9 million, United Kingdom USD: 2.3 million).

As at 25 March, two batches of Education in Emergency supplies have been sent to Vanuatu. This includes tents for temporary learning spaces, school-in-a-box, Early Childhood Development kits, recreation kits and backpacks. It is estimated that 13 000 children will benefit from these supplies. More are expected to arrive by 5 April, benefitting another 1 660 children.

According to Vanuatu Red Cross Society and the French Red Cross (FRC), nomad water units are operating for purification and distribution of water in Mele, on Efate Island, and in Green Hill, on .

4. Other information

Following the field assessments conducted by ECHO during the past week, and bearing in mind the overall assistance effort in Vanuatu, ECHO is focusing on actions integrating DRR/Resilience components and addressing shelter, water supply and emergency communications needs.

ECHO Crisis Flash n° 7 – Vanuatu – Tropical Cyclone Pam Page 2 of 2