UN ready to support Pacific countries devastated by cyclone Harold: Guterres

The United Nations stands ready to support the efforts to make people safe ahead of the storm and to meet their immediate needs afterwards, said UN Secretary-General spokesperson after the Tropical Cyclone Harold wreaked havoc in the Pacific. Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said in a statement that the UN chief is deeply saddened by the reports of loss of lives and destruction as a result of cyclone Harold.

While the world was focussed on fighting the pandemic, the Pacific cyclone Harold swept the shores of Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Tonga on April 8 causing a lot of destruction. The high-intensity cyclone lashed the shores of the islands with winds of up to 240 kilometres per hour claiming lives and destroying properties.

Read: Pacific Cyclone Harold Causes Massive Destruction In Fiji

Equivalent of Category 5 hurricane

Harold became the first storm of the year 2020 to peak at the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane ravaging the islands with damaging winds, hazardous storm surge and flooding rains.

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The spokesperson said that in Vanuatu, Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Tonga, homes and infrastructure have been badly damaged, affecting thousands of people, who now urgently need shelter, water, sanitation and food. Dujarric added that Antonio Guterres commends the governments and first responders in the affected countries for their pre-emptive work to make people safe ahead of the storm and to meet their immediate needs afterwards. 

“The Secretary-General expresses his deep solidarity with the people of the Pacific as they face the impact of this cyclone, along with other climate-related challenges, as well as the coronavirus pandemic, which adds a worrying new dimension to existing vulnerabilities,” said the spokesperson.

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