Carla Unger felt sick when she heard that Cyclone Pam, one of the most powerful storms ever to make landfall, had devastated the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu.
The Oak Bay woman and her husband, emergency-room physician Dr. Jeff Unger, and daughters Maryn, 10, and Neeve, 8, have just spent seven months on Tanna, a remote island in the southern part of Vanuatu, where Jeff provided basic health care to patients in the 48-bed hospital.
The United Nations reported Monday that 24 people are confirmed dead and 3,300 have been forced to take refuge in evacuation shelters after the cyclone, which tore through the nation early Saturday, packing winds of 270 kilometres per hour. The cyclone smashed boats and bridges, and washed away homes and roads.
“I just could not believe it,” said Carla, an occupational therapist and photographer.
“That was our home. That was our community. And not knowing how they are doing right now is really difficult. The kids don’t know how their friends are. They’re wondering how their dog Zoey is doing. You worry about everybody.”
Cyclones are a fact of life in Vanuatu, Jeff said. “They know about this. They are prepared for these kinds of things. But this was so strong and went right over Tanna.”
For the past 24 years, the Victoria-Vanuatu Physician Project, a non-profit grassroots organization, has worked in partnership with the Vanuatu government to staff the hospital, educate hospital staff and co-ordinate health development projects. Since 1991, 40 families have volunteered in Tanna, almost all of them families of physicians from Victoria and Saanich.
The island has a population of 30,000 people, half under the age of 15, said Jeff. From July until Feb. 15, he looked after adults and children with tropical diseases, illnesses and trauma and provided obstetric care. People on he island suffer from tuberculosis, typhoid, dengue fever and malaria. The children get gastroenteritis and acute diarrhea. Because so many are malnourished, it can be fatal, said Jeff.
“For me, the lack of resources there was very challenging. There was one x-ray machine, but it was broken for half the time I was there. There were very limited lab tests and a limited number of medicines,” he said.
But the devastation wrought by Cyclone Pam has made things even more difficult, and the Ungers are hoping the people of Greater Victoria will come to the aid of Vanuatu.
“They are incredibly warm, lovely, friendly people who have been hosts to and enriched the lives of more than 40 Victoria families,” said Jeff. “Everyone should care. As citizens of a developed nation, we have a responsibility to people all around the world to share some of our wealth, resources and benefits.”
When they heard about the monster cyclone on the news, they began emailing, texting and trying to call friends, but heard nothing, said Carla. They have also been trying to follow tweets, blogs and news source about the disaster.
Radio and telephone communications with outer islands had not yet been established Monday.
“It’s beyond what people imagine,” said Carla. “It’s the absolute decimation of all their food crops and their water supply and access to communication, roads and power. This is absolutely devastating for people in Tanna.” They have heard that most of the grass huts and wooden houses have been destroyed. All that’s left are the concrete structures with their roofs torn off.
Anyone who wants to help should consider making a donation online to the Canadian Red Cross on behalf of the Victoria-Vanuatu Physician Project, said Jeff. ViVa itself will try to do more local long-term fundraising for Tanna for what they imagine will be years of rebuilding.
People can also email the Canadian government and ask it to send the disaster-assistance response team to Vanuatu to help with water and sanitation.
The Ungers are thankful they’re safely back in Victoria.
“But now you feel so powerless and helpless,” said Jeff. “There are disasters all over the world. But we know now how catastrophic this will be.”
— With files from The Associated Press
