“Reports of casualties are coming in after Tropical Cyclone Harold tore through the northern islands of Vanuatu.
“Communications to the islands were knocked out when the powerful storm hit on Monday and the scale of damage is only now becoming clear.
“Cyclone Harold went on to cause significant damage in Fiji.
“New Zealander Glen Craig, managing partner of the Pacific Business Resilience Council, chartered a Cessna, then a boat and was among the first people to make contact with some of the worst hit-islands.
“He told RNZ destruction was widespread.
“Craig said the cyclone had badly affected seven of the 83 islands in Vanuatu, including Malo and Aore.
"Those islands are just barren ... Almost every house has been flattened."
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