This story was originally published by The Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
The president of Vanuatu says climate change is contributing to more extreme weather conditions and cyclone seasons, after cyclone Pam ripped through the island nation.
The damage from the Category 5 storm to the island nation has been extensive, and is still being assessed as aid workers scrambled to get to affected areas on Monday morning.
The official death toll remains at six, with many more injured, and is expected to rise as communication begins to be restored.
Vanuatu’s president, Baldwin Lonsdale, spoke at a United Nations world conference in Sendai, Japan, on March 16, and said the storm was a major setback for the people, virtually wiping out Vanuatu’s development.
“This is a very devastating cyclone … I term it a monster that has hit Vanuatu,” he said. “It is a setback for the government and for the people of Vanuatu … All the development that has taken place has been wiped out.”
He said the cyclone seasons that the nation had experienced were directly linked to climate change.
“We see the level ... Read more
