User:Super Cyclonic Storm Corona/Effects of Cyclone Harold in Vanuatu

Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold was a very powerful tropical cyclone which caused widespread destruction in Vanuatu. It was the first Category 5 tropical cyclone in 2020, the seventh named storm of the 2019–20 Australian region cyclone season, eighth tropical cyclone, and the fourth severe tropical cyclone of the 2019–20 South Pacific cyclone season. It made landfall in Vanuatu with 145 mph winds, and killed 3 people.

Background
On April 1, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) reported that Tropical Low 12U had developed along a trough of low pressure about 825 km to the northeast of Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. Given the increase in organization, the BOM upgraded the storm to a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale and named it Harold, before it passed about 135 km to the southeast of Honiara in the Solomon Islands. The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) also initiated advisories on Tropical Cyclone Harold during that day and designated it as Tropical Cyclone 25P. The system subsequently crossed 160°E, where it moved out of the Australian region and into the South Pacific basin, which prompted the BoM to pass the primary warning responsibility to the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS).

It was classified as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone by the FMS at 00:00 UTC on April 4. Later that day, the FMS reported that Harold had become a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone and predicted it to further intensify to Category 5 status, while the system's eye became subsumed into a large mass of atmospheric convection. The JTWC, meanwhile, assessed that Harold had peaked with 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 215 km/h (130 mph), which made it equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS). During April 5, the JTWC reported that the system had begun to weaken, based on the ragged structure of the eye and warming of the cyclone's cloud tops. However, this weakening phase was short-lived as the system regained a 30 km eye and a symmetric central dense overcast, while upper-level outflow remained strong. The FMS subsequently reported that Harold had become a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone with 10-minute sustained winds of 205 km/h (125 mph).

At around 22:00 UTC on April 5 (10:00 FST, April 6), Harold made landfall on the island of Espiritu Santo in northern Vanuatu, with 10-minute sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph), and 1-minute sustained winds of 145 mph. During the following day, the FMS reported that Harold had peaked in intensity with 10-minute sustained winds of 230 km/h (145 mph), while it was located between the islands of Espiritu Santo and Pentecost. The system subsequently made landfall on Pentecost, before it reemerged into the South Pacific Ocean and started to move away from Vanuatu. The JTWC then reported that the system had again peaked in intensity and assessed 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 270 km/h (165 mph), which made it equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the SSHWS. After it had peaked in intensity, Harold started to show signs of weakening. As a result, the FMS reported that the system had weakened into a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone during April 7. During April 8, the system intensified slightly before the FMS reported that Harold had become a category 5 severe tropical cyclone again. As the system continued to move south-eastwards, it passed about 115 km to the south of Nuku'alofa, as it started to weaken and transition into an extratropical cyclone. During the following day, Harold weakened into a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone, while strong vertical wind shear caused atmospheric convection to become displaced to the south of its eye. The JTWC subsequently issued its final advisory on Harold, as it was expected to gain frontal characteristics and complete its extratropical transition within 12 hours. MetService subsequently declared Harold to be an extratropical cyclone during April 10.

Preparations and Impact
A red alert—the highest-level warning for Vanuatu—was issued on April 4 following the upgrading of Harold to a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone, while yellow alerts were also issued for Malampa and Penama provinces. Red alerts eventually encompassed Malampa, Penama, Sanma, and Torba provinces, with a yellow alert for Shefa Province. The VNDMO advised for all residents under the red alert to remain indoors. Normal activities were suspended to facilitate preparations and evacuations for Harold. Several evacuation centers were set up for those seeking safe housing as the storm approached.

Hundreds of people evacuated to shelters in Espiritu Santo; disrupted communications in rural areas made estimates difficult, though an official with the Vanuatu Red Cross Society estimated as many as 1,000 people were housed in evacuation centres. On April 5, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) granted 50,000 CHF from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to the Vanuatu Red Cross Society to help better position staff and aid resources prior to the storm's arrival, mobilizing over a thousand volunteers. Preparing for the storm in Luganville, hundreds of people were sent into evacuation centres before the storm. The Torba provincial headquarters in Sola served as a shelter for families. Development organisation Oxfam Australia coordinated with Vanuatuan agencies to develop a response plan for Harold. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also devised a support package for both the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

Harold was the first Category 5 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale to strike Vanuatu since Cyclone Pam in 2015, bringing gusts above 275 km/h (170 mph) and 250–450 mm (10–18 in) of rain. Approximately a third of Vanuatu's population was said to have been impacted by the storm across seven islands. Communications were lost in most of the affected areas, particularly in Vanuatu's northern provinces. Telecommunications company Vodafone reported loss of contact with the Banks Islands, Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Pentecost Island. Connections were reestablished in the hardest-hit areas two days after Harold made landfall. Beginning prior to landfall, the cyclone's slow movement west of Vanuatu drew in copious moisture, resulting in heavy rainfall. Flash flooding forced people to evacuate their homes for higher ground in Espiritu Santo and damaged roads in Penama. On the island of Malakula, rivers overflowed their banks and inundated gardens. Farther south, Aneityum recorded 166 mm of rain.

Modelling from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre suggested that storm surge heights peaked at 0.8 m in Vanuatu. Damage was extensive in Espiritu Santo where Harold first made landfall. Ships were grounded on the shores of the island by the rough seas. Extensive defoliation and flooding occurred across northern Vanuatu. Water shortages and power outages began affecting Luganville, Espiritu Santo's largest city, prior to Harold's landfall. Heavy rainfall also threatened the contamination of Luganville's water supplies and washing out crops and roads, especially in low-lying areas. As the cyclone made landfall and moved through the city on April 6, the winds unroofed homes and downed trees. Some buildings were flattened by the storm, with one reduced to its foundation. Approximately 50–70 percent of buildings in the city were damaged; about half of homes suffered significant damage. Luganville Mayor Peter Patty stated “We are badly affected. We urgently need water, food and shelter at the moment. Many have lost their homes. Schools are destroyed. Electricity is down. I’m urgently calling for help. This is one of the worst experiences of my life.” following the storm. Further torrential rainfall flooded roadways. Luganville's municipal council building was destroyed. Communications with the city were disrupted as the storm swept through, and the city was further isolated from the rest of Espiritu Santo by floods, debris, and landslides. Mayor of the sister city to Luganville, Mont-Dore in New Caledonia, promised to help bring supplies and "exceptional assistance" to help Luganville recover from the devastating cyclone. Buildings were also destroyed across the rest of Sanma Province. Initial reports suggested severe damage was inflicted near Harold's point of landfall in the southwestern part of the province, with some areas experiencing damage to all structures. Shacks along the coast of Espiritu Santo were completely demolished, with some more developed homes unroofed and their walls ripped off or collapsed in. No building or structure was left unscathed in some communities on Malo Island. Two deaths were reported on the island, and many were said to have been injured. More extreme damage was reported in Pentecost, where the storm made its second landfall near peak intensity. Entire villages were reportedly destroyed. Further aerial damage surveys were issued to assess damage on the island. With the health facility Melsisi destroyed and staff housing damaged, the lower floor of another damaged building was used as a temporary medical ward. Damage wrought by Harold was said to have affected fewer areas than that of Cyclone Pam five years prior, but overall damage was deemed significantly worse in some areas, particularly Pentecost. 68% of all structures on Pentecost Island were estimated to have been damaged, while 45% were estimated to have been damaged on Malo Island. In Sanma Province alone, about 90 per cent of the population lost their homes and 60 per cent of schools were damaged as 200-kph winds lashed the area.

Aftermath
The state of emergency enacted for Vanuatu for the COVID-19 pandemic was extended to bolster the government response to Harold's aftermath. Recovery efforts were estimated to last 12 months, with the longetivity due in part to the concurrent coronavirus crisis. Oxfam Australia launched a disaster response team to assess and aid in repairing damage across Vanuatu's Sanma Province just hours after the first impacts from Harold, doubling down on COVID-19 aid as well. Save the Children prepared relief materials on the islands for distribution to affected children. The Vanautu Red Cross Society was joined by Red Cross societies from Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Stockpiled emergency kits were distributed by the Vanuatu Catholic Church for those affected. Lisa Faerua, the country director for Oxfam, stated that recovery from the storm could take up to a year, which would likely be delayed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Relief supplies shipped to Vanuatu were required to be quarantined for seven days before distribution on the islands. A P-3 Orion surveillance plane was sent by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to determine where humanitarian assistance could be prioritized. An NZDF C-130 was assigned to deliver a helicopter to Vanuatu to support relief efforts and carry out medical supplies. New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters funded US$485,000 (NZ$500,000) to the Government of Vanuatu to help aid recovery following the storm on April 8. Total direct contributions from New Zealand to Vanuatu amounted to US$1.52 million (NZ$2.5 million). Australia's assistance package to Vanuatu included logistical, health, education, and policing support for government and non-government agencies. An Australian Defence Force plane was sent to northern Vanuatu to send supplies to impacted areas on April 9. France sent tents, shelter kits, kitchen sets and jerry cans to the country under request of Vanuatu’s government. World Vision Australia estimated around 160,000 people (a little less than half the country's population) were left homeless by the storm, and declared the cyclone as a Category II disaster on their disaster rating scale. They then pledged to donate US$4 million (NZ$6.5 million) worth of supplies to affected areas. The OCHA provided a US$2.5 million emergency fund to Vanuatu to help ease the crisis, while UN Humanitarian Chief Mark Lowcock stated that it was "especially important" to support Vanuatu at a time when the coronavirus pandemic "touches us all". The World Bank donated US$10 million in emergency funding to Vanuatu on April 27. Between April 25 and 27, the Vanuatu Ministry of Health reported a significant increase in dengue fever and malaria cases in Torba and Sanma provinces, believed to be related to the cyclone. The agricultural industry of Vanuatu was hit particularly hard, with at least 60% of agricultural lands hosting bananas and coconuts (which together bring in a large majority of the country's revenue) were severely damaged according to the FAO.