Seasonal workers wait for news

WORRIED: Joseph Toara could not contact members of his family yesterday and is feeling scared for them.PHOTO/JOHN BORREN

Cyclone Pam has left the Bay's Vanuatu community gravely worried with many struggling to contact their family members on the islands.

"Frantic" was how Bay of Plenty Vanuatu Association interim president Joseph Toara described his feelings after calls to his family in Tongariki, north of Port Vila, went unanswered yesterday.

"I am feeling scared. I can't get hold of anyone on the islands ... I am not sure if the cell tower has been blown away or if they have power."

A group of 45 Vanuatu men had already arrived in the region on the Recognised Seasonal Employer's programme to work in the kiwifruit industry and that was a major concern, he said.

"They have left their families behind and, in times of cyclones, you like a husband or man to be around to close the shutters and put something on the roof to hold it down."

Cellphone reception in Vanuatu was sketchy and often the workers who travelled for the kiwifruit season would buy a solar panel to take home so it could light up their house or charge cellphones, he said.

"If they haven't got phones or lighting during these times it's hard for them."

Rex Maranda said he was also unable to contact his mother and they usually arranged a time to call so she could stand in a spot that got cellphone coverage.

"I am absolutely worried."

Vanuatu Meteorological Service director David Gibson said last night that damaging winds of up to 200km/h were expected to lash the island nation.

The course the cyclone was on was subject to change and it was too early to tell whether there would be loss of life, Mr Gibson said Carmen Hall and NZME.