South West Pacific • Tropical Cyclone Yasi Situation Report No

OC South West Pacific • Tropical Cyclone Yasi Situation Report No. 2 2 February 2011

This report was issued by the OCHA SRO in Fiji with input from the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and the Humanitarian Support Unit in PNG. It covers the period from 31 January to 2 February 2011.

I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES

• Tropical Cyclone (TC) Yasi has been upgraded to a category five strength cyclone and is expected to make landfall in Australia at 1200 UTC on Wednesday 2 February. • A tropical cyclone watch has also been issued for the Milne Islands off Papua New Guinea. • TC Yasi passed through the Banks Islands in Torba Province in Vanuatu on the 30 January bringing with it destructive winds, dangerous storm surge and heavy rains that resulted in minor damage to buildings and crops. • On the 31 January it passed south of the Solomon Islands causing minor damage.

II. Situation Overview

After moving though Vanuatu and the passed the Solomon Islands on the 31 Solomon Islands as a Category 1 and 2 January. respectively, Tropical Cyclone (TC) Yasi has been upgraded to Category 5 strength – the The Australian Bureau is predicting that due highest level in the storm classification to the size and severity of the cyclone, the system. TC Yasi is expected to hit south of system will likely persist as a TC even after Cairns in north-east Queensland, Australia at making landfall in Australia. midnight local time on 2 February.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology is warning that “Severe TC Yasi is a large and very powerful tropical cyclone and poses an extremely serious threat to life and property. This impact is likely to be more life threatening than any experienced during recent generations.” Warnings have been issued to communities to evacuate low-lying areas as extremely dangerous storm surge is expected with damaging waves, strong currents and flooding of low-lying areas extending some way inland, as the cyclone is predicted to cross the Australian coast at high tide.

Since the cyclone was declared on the 30 January it has continued to intensify and wind speeds of 300 km/h have been recorded. On the 30 January it passed the Banks Island group in Torba Province bringing heavy rains and 3 – 4 meter storm surge waves. It then intensified to a Category 2 cyclone and

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.

Vanuatu TC Yasi passed between the Banks and Torres Islands groups in the northern Torba province of Vanuatu at around 1300 UTC 30 January 2011 (midnight local time in Vanuatu). The Banks Island group in Vanuatu’s northern province of Torba (population 9,359) consists of 13 islands, the most populous being Vanua Lava (2,597), Gaua (2,491) and Motalava (1,451). The Government of Vanuatu has not declared an emergency in relation to TC Yasi.

The Vanuatu Red Cross has reported that food sources are affected as almost all root crops and fruit trees were destroyed in most of the communities in the Torres and Banks Island groups. Water tanks which are the islands main source of water have reportedly been contaminated by debris. Local authorities are promoting boiling water as a safety measure.

On islands in the Torres group, the Vanuatu Red Cross is reporting that 60 dwellings (47 sleeping houses and 13 kitchen houses), 3 classrooms and a community hall have been destroyed. Food gardens and fruit trees are all reported to have destroyed across the islands in the group.

For the Banks group, no major damages were sustained on the island of Gaua, and on Motalava Island two houses have been destroyed along with most root crops and fruit trees.

Solomon Islands On 31 January, TC Yasi (as a category 3) moved west over open ocean along the south of Solomon Islands. In response, the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) stood up the National Emergency Operations Centre to monitor TC Yasi’s progress. The NDMO has been in contact with all provinces at risk (Temotu, Rennell & Bellona, Guadalcanal, Makira and Malaita); all provinces reported strong winds, heavy rain and high seas, but no significant damage.

Papua New Guinea A tropical cyclone warning is still current for coastal and island communities in Milne Bay, a province of Papua New Guinea with a population of 210,000 people. Authorities are advising residents to seek higher ground until the threat passes. The authorities are warning that flooding is likely to occur in the western and eastern Milne Bay Islands between Russel Island and Alotau town.

IV. Coordination

For the Pacific Islands, the National Disaster Management Offices in both Port Vila, Vanuatu and Honiara, Solomon Islands continue to monitor the impacts of TC Yasi on affected islands through their respective provincial authorities, local Red Cross societies and other in-country partners.

OCHA SRO Fiji is in contact with the National Disaster Management Offices in both Honiara (Solomon Islands) and Port Vila (Vanuatu) as assessments following TC Yasi progress.

VI. Contact

Sub Regional Office for the Pacific Fiji: Allanah Kjellgren, Public Information Officer, OCHA [email protected], +679 8385305

Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Kirsten Mildren, Regional Public Information Officer, OCHA [email protected] , +66 81915 1276

For more information, please visit www.met.gov.fj or www.bom.gov.au for cyclone tracking