Updated, 6 May 2017 – Islands in the north of the Vanuatu chain have taken the brunt of the impact of Tropical Cyclone Donna, with high winds and flooding reported. There are particular concerns for communities in Torba province, where response teams are currently undertaking needs assessments. However the path of the storm looks unlikely to track southwards through the island chain as originally feared.

At time of writing the Government of Vanuatu has not requested international assistance. We continue to liaise with partners in-country and have produced a series of reference maps to support the response. Our team remains ready to deploy as required.

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4 May 2017 – MapAction continues to monitor Tropical Cyclone Donna in the South Pacific. The storm currently poses a serious threat to Vanuatu and is forecast to make landfall on the northern islands on Friday 5 May, before tracking south through the island chain. The storm has increased in intensity as it tracks toward the island. There are concerns that the storm could reach a Category 4 storm, potentially causing extensive damage and disruption to infrastructure.

Vanuatu has been affected by several storms in recent years, including Cyclones Pam and Winston which caused significant damage. Last month Tropical Storm Cook brought widespread flooding to areas of the country, forcing people to evacuate their homes.

Maps and data will be posted in the Vanuatu maps and data repository.

For map requests or support please contact emumford@mapaction.org