Tropical Cyclone Lola Emergency Response Project

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This project is in response to tropical cyclone (TC) Lola that made a landfall in Vanuatu on 25 October 2023 on the eastern shores of Maewo and Pentecost islands as a category 4 storm, with winds of up to 205 kilometers/hour. TC Lola brought heavy rainfall and flash flooding in low-lying areas and near riverbanks, causing coastal flooding and widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and crops.Initial assessments of the cyclone indicate widespread damage and displacement in the northern provinces of Torba, Penama, and Malampa, with most damage on the islands of Ambrym, Maewo, Malekula. and Pentecost. Data are currently being collected from primary sources, with initial rapid assessment teams and aerial photographs expected to provide more information. Preliminary data on wind speed and rainfall suggest that 75 per cent of housing across Pentecost and Maewo islands has been damaged. Landslides, fallen trees, destroyed homes, damaged schools and damaged health facilities have been reported, indicating that access to affected populations will be a challenge. Approximately 200,000 people were exposed to the effects of TC Lola, with 110,000 people (30,000 households), or about half of Vanuatu's population, directly affected.