April 6, 2020: Cyclone Harold has claimed lives of at least seven people and left 21 other missing across Solomon Islands, after a passenger ferry was washed away due to storm surge.
Cyclone Harold is currently a category five storm - the most severe. Also Cyclone Harold has become the strongest cyclone to affect Vanuatu since Cyclone Pam in 2015.
Cyclone Harold made landfall over Vanuatu's southwest coast of Espiritu Santo Island today. At 01:00 UTC, Cyclone Harold's centre was located inland over Espiritu Santo approximately 45 km west of Luganville (town of Vanuatu).
The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department, Port Vila has issued red alert for Sanma, Penama and Malampa provinces following tropical cyclone Harold. Also yellow alert has been issued for Torba and Shefa provinces.
Cyclone Harold is expected to continue moving south-east over the sea and to pass close to Kandavu Island (south Fiji) on April 8, 2020 in the morning.
The Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) has issued heavy rain alerts for the western half of Viti Levu, Kadavu, and the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands.