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ABC News
ABC News
Environment

Satellite images reveal scale of Cyclone Harold's path of destruction

Satellite images have revealed the scale of destruction in Vanuatu after category-five Cyclone Harold struck the island nation this week.

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies show before and after images of the island of Espiritu Santo and the main city of Luganville.

This once lush island was largely stripped of vegetation by the storm and many homes and buildings have been severely damaged or destroyed.

Anglican Bishop James Tama said 5,000 people were made homeless on Espiritu Santo by the impact of Cyclone Harold.

Bishop Tama has used his Good Friday message to appeal for help for people who've been left without water, food, power or communications.

The cyclone damaged up to 90 per cent of homes in Luanville, Vanuatu's second-largest city.

Aid efforts

The week-long storm has destroyed homes, cut off power and killed dozens in four Pacific island countries; Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga.

Local disaster teams in Vanuatu are trying to reach some of the worst-affected areas.

Australia's RAAF is sending an aircraft to Vanuatu within days with relief supplies and to assess damage.

In the aftermath, there are fears that mass evacuations and displacement could disrupt containment efforts against the spread of the coronavirus, officials in the region said.

The whole Pacific Island region has relatively few cases of COVID-19, but much of the region has restricted personal movement to slow any spread of the coronavirus.

In Fiji, were 15 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, 26 people were injured and more than 6,000 people were evacuated from their homes during the storm.

"Cyclone Harold may be gone, but coronavirus is still in our midst," Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said in a message posted on his Facebook page.

"We must all remain vigilant and keep to every public health directive we have in place."

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