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Description of the Event
What happened, where and when?
On midnight 27 February 2023, Tropical Depression 08F was located approximately 190km west of Rotuma (Fiji) as it headed southwest towards Vanuatu. At 12:00 PM 27 February 2023, the tropical depression formed into a tropical cyclone in the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) – Nadi’s area of responsibility (AoR) near Solomon Islands, named Tropical Cyclone (TC) Judy Category 1.
TC Judy moved in a rapid southwest direction and tracked over the small islands in the Southern part of Solomon Islands as a Category 1 system, on 27 February 2023 and approached the northern parts of Vanuatu, midday 28 February 2023 as a Category 2 Cyclone. On the same day, TC Judy further intensified into Category 3 and to Category 4, as it passed over Shefa Province, where Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu is located. TC Judy maintained its strength as it made a landfall in Tanna Island, midnight of 1 March 2023.
While TC Judy was moving in a south-southeast direction away from the Vanuatu group, another tropical low that formed in the Coral Sea was entering the Vanuatu AoR as a TC Category 1 system named Kevin. TC Kevin strengthened to a Category 3 and then a Category 4 system, as it moved across central and southern provinces. TC Kevin made a landfall in Tanna Island on 4 March 2023.
Destructive hurricane- force winds of 150kph, with peak gusts up to 220kph affected the central and southern islands. Damaging gale force winds of 63-87kph were experienced in the provinces of Penama, Malampa, Shefa and Tafea. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms affected Central and Southern parts of the Northern Islands with seas becoming very rough throughout Vanuatu waters.
Air Vanuatu cancelled all domestic and international flights from 28 February 2023. Commercial flights were expected to resume on Wednesday, 8 March 2023. Schools and other businesses, including Banks were closed from 1-2 March 2023. Despite VRCS offices being closed while TC Judy and TC Kevin passed over the country, allowing staff members to prepare for the impact of the cyclone, DM and EOC team were on standby for response.
Scope and Scale
As soon as TC Judy exited the Vanuatu group, government authorities and the Vanuatu Red Cross Society (VRCS) began to commence assessments to establish the extent of damage caused by the system. These back-to-back systems ravaged most parts of central and southern provinces, compounding the impact, with TC Judy causing instability and TC Kevin picking up already weakened vegetation, debris and infrastructure. As of 4 March 2023, most parts of the capital, Port Vila and provincial areas are without power.
Schools and businesses remain closed. On remote islands, phone and internet reception is severely disrupted and people are without access to cyclone warnings through radio or other means of communication. There are two telecommunications providers in Vanuatu and since the cyclones passed, one (Vodaphone) is completely disabled, with a second (Digicel) having patchy reception and service.
An initial assessment of the damage informed by the Vanuatu Disaster Management Office (NDMO) revealed many houses on Epi Island in Shefa Province were destroyed, with some families sheltering under beds and tables in their houses, while passed. There has been extensive damage to houses, churches, crops, and power lines, as well as flooding in low-lying areas. There is currently no confirmed figure as to the extent of damage, though it is estimated that more than 50 per cent of houses are damaged in rural Efate Island while in urban Port-Vila, at least 20 per cent of houses are damaged. Major damage is likely in Shefa –especially Port Vila, and Tafea provinces, especially Tanna Island. At least 64 per cent of the country's population is directly affected by TC Judy Category 3 and TC Kevin Category 4.
In Port Vila, five evacuation centres were established and as of 5 March 2023, were occupied by more than 500 people. More people have attended centres since the cyclones passed than sheltered in place during the event indicating the level of significant shelter damage in the wake of the cyclones.
It is still unclear as to the extent of the damage for different sectors. Some initial observations have reported contamination of water sources due to flooding, as well as significant foliage and crop damage due to flooding and strong wind, especially in central Tanna. No fatalities have been reported to date, however, reports of injuries from flying debris and continuing to come in from across the country. It is reported that 22 people have been admitted to a hospital in Port Vila with injuries and the hospital has announced it is currently only accepting emergency patients.
Several main roads are blocked and access to outer islands is currently grounded by both land and sea.