Vanuatu begins relief efforts after massive cyclone hits, struggles to assess damage

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Vanuatu struggled on Sunday to survey the death toll and damage caused by Cyclone Pam, which slammed into the South Pacific island nation early Saturday.

The storm's death toll is uncertain due to severe damage to Vanuatu's communications infrastructure, but early reports have pegged the number of dead anywhere from two to eight people; that number is expected to rise once power lines and phone circuits are restored.

See also: Aid worker in cyclone-hit Vanuatu: 'Holding on for dear life'

UNICEF New Zealand executive director Vivien Maidaborn said the devastation is widespread, and that the worst damage likely occurred on Vanuatu's outer islands, where Cyclone Pam made a direct hit. Read more...

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