Tropical Cyclone Pam to batter Vanuatu: in numbers
Liam Dutton
Weather Presenter
The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu is braced for the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Pam, with heavy rain, destructive winds and flooding set to strike late on Friday (local time).
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270,000 people
The number of people living in Vanuatu, where the Vanuatu Disaster Management Office issued red alerts for four provinces, advising residents to shelter in evacuation centres.
50,000 children
An estimation of how many children are at risk from the storm, according to Save the Children’s Vanuatu director Tom Skirrow.
1987
The year in which Vanuatu was last hit by a storm as strong as this one, according to Australian media reports.
300 miles
The distance at which gale-force winds extend from the centre of Tropical Cyclone Pam.
150mph
The sustained wind speeds that could hit Vanuatu as the eye of the storm passes over or very close to the islands late on Friday (local time). Gusts could be even stronger, approaching 195mph.
11 deaths
The number of people killed when Tropical Cyclone Lusi swept across Vanuatu in March last year.
10 metres
The height of the waves that will be caused by Tropical Cyclone Pam as the storm, equivalent to a category five hurricane, whips up phenomenal seas.