Posted on 26 October 2023
On Tuesday night, Tropical Cyclone Lola passed over Pentecost in Vanuatu at category 4 intensity, before being downgraded to category 3 on Wednesday. This comes a week before the beginning of the cyclone season in November, and following the destructive pair of cyclones Kevin and Judy that wrecked havoc in the nation in March.
Penama, Malapa and Shefa provinces located in central Vanuatu were most severly affected, with forecasted gale force winds, heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding. The extent of the damage is unclear, and communication with affected areas has been restricted or in some cases cut off completely.
The Vanuatu Meterology and Geo-Hazards has now downgraded the cyclone to Category 1 in a final warning statement, saying that it is "no longer a threat to Vanuatu islands."