Cyclone Bears Down on the South Pacific

Left to right: Tropical Cyclone Olwyn in the Indian Ocean heading south for landfall near Learmonth on the west coast of Australia, Tropical Cyclone Nathan meanders northeast of Cooktown, Queensland, Australia in the Coral Sea, Tropical Cyclone Pam tracks due south heading for the islands of Vanuatu in the southern Pacific Ocean and Tropical Depression 3 heads west-northwest towards Guam in the northern Pacific Ocean on March 11, 2015.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration /EPA
By Sarah Begley
March 13, 2015

A category 5 cyclone is pummeling the island nation of Vanuatu, a storm set to be one of the worst in that country’s history.

Wind speeds have reached 165 mph, fast enough to destroy homes according to the National Weather Service. Flooding and landslides may also occur. This is only the 10th category 5 cyclone to hit the region since 1970.

Vanuatu, population 224,000, is on red alert, and the center of the storm is expected to hit early Saturday morning local time.

[Weather Channel]

Contact us at editors@time.com.

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