A WFP-chartered flight landed in Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila on Saturday bringing humanitarian personnel and much-needed telecoms equipment and medical supplies to support the island state following a devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake.
The flight, coordinated by WFP’s Pacific Humanitarian Service (PHAS), was organized to support the Government of Vanuatu’s emergency response, particularly by coordinating emergency telecommunications services. USAID’s Bureau funded it for Humanitarian Assistance and other donors.
The earthquake triggered a major landslide, damaging roads and challenging access to certain areas. Communication networks have been severely impacted, hindering efforts to coordinate a response. The airport in Port Vila remains non-operational for commercial flights, because of damage to the terminal building.
More than 80,000 people have been affected, with 10 recorded fatalities and over 200 others injured. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the needs are rising.
“We are saddened by the loss of lives and destruction of property caused by this earthquake. This concerted effort is crucial to ensure that people affected by the earthquake receive timely and essential assistance. WFP is dedicated to supporting the NDMO and other national institutions, and we will continue to step up our efforts to bolster Vanuatu’s response in the face of this crisis,” said Alpha Bah, Representative and Country Director for WFP’s Pacific Multi-Country Office.
WFP has been working with Vanuatu’s National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and other partners to accelerate the humanitarian response and logistics coordination. Emergency and logistics specialists are being deployed to support the NDMO and national logistics cluster in response coordination, planning, and information management alongside the provision of mobile storage units.
Two emergency telecommunications experts have been deployed to Port Vila, to assess the need for further deployment through WFP’s dedicated IT, logistics, and aviation teams. WFP is engaging with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB) and the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FSAC) to monitor the food response needs through the NDMO.
Vanuatu, located in the Pacific “ring of fire” – a tectonic belt of volcanoes and earthquakes – faces frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In 2023, Vanuatu was hit by three Category 4 tropical cyclones within 7 months, TCs Judy, Kevin, and Lola, causing extensive damage. In response, WFP provided the government with supply chain, logistics, emergency telecommunications, and coordination services.
WFP’s support to the 14 Pacific Island Countries and Territories focuses on capacity strengthening for response capacity so that governments can anticipate, prepare for, and respond better to disasters to protect lives and livelihoods ahead of, during, and in the aftermath of shocks.
