Tropical cyclones form only over warm ocean waters near the equator. Cyclone Pam continues to cause havoc in the small Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, with unconfirmed reports of deaths and authorities warning of high winds, storm surges and torrential rain. Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam was tied with cyclone Yasa in 2020 as the second most intense tropical cyclone of the south Pacific Ocean in terms of sustained winds and is regarded as one of the worst natural disasters in the history of Vanuatu. While strong storms aren’t unusual for the region, Cyclone Pam … Tropical storms derive energy from the warmth of the ocean and convert it into wind strength. With Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Pam dominating world headlines, there has been strong interest in the Pacific Islands at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, in Sendai Japan. A local resident moves debris from near his damaged home after Cyclone Pam hit Port Vila, the capital city of the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, March 15, 2015. To form a cyclone, warm, moist air over the ocean rises upward from near the surface. Cyclone Pam also caused significant damage to some of […] Vanuatu frequently experiences cyclones. The impact of Cyclone Pam on future economic output is less clear. Not only did it cause enormous loses and damages to physical assets, but also loss of income and livelihoods. The cyclone season runs from December to April when the weather in the region is hot and wet. We can expect similar, and probably more significant, damage to have resulted from Cyclone Pam. The bad weather being generated by Cyclone Pam has been felt right across the region. The death toll could rise as communications are restored with outlying islands. Vanuatu and Cyclone Pam is an example of what I call the “tyranny of scale” in relation to disaster risk management. The total economic value of the effects caused by Tropical Cyclone Pam is estimated to be approximately VT 48.5 billion (US$449.4 million) which is equivalent to … Cyclone Pam causes widespread damage in Vanuatu . Cyclone Pam, a category-5 storm with wind gusts reaching 300 km/h, struck Vanuatu on 13 March 2015 leaving twenty-four people dead, 100,000 people homeless and up to 70% of the nation’s 69,000 households damaged. A total of 15–16 people lost their lives either directly or indirectly as a result of Pam with many others injured. Amateur video shows some of the devastation caused by Cyclone Pam that hit the Pacific island nation packing winds of more than 186 mph. To illustrate, Cyclone Evan in 2012 was estimated to have caused damage equal to approximately 30 percent of Samoa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Showcased at a special Pacific Islands event, ‘Building Resilience to Disasters and Climate Change in the Pacific for Sustainable Development’, H.E. 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