1. Purpose
The purpose of this document is to capture the key lessons of the shelter cluster response to Tropical Cyclone Pam. These lessons are intended to inform the broader National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) lessons learned workshop, and the future development of the shelter cluster in Vanuatu.
2. Introduction
Tropical Cyclone (TC) Pam struck Vanuatu from the 12 -14 March 2015. The category 5 cyclone caused widespread damage across the archipelago. The cyclone’s eye passed close to Efate Island, where the capital Port Vila is located, with winds estimated to have reached 250kmph and gusts peaking at 320kmph.
An estimated 188,000 people have been affected by the cyclone – approximately 50 per cent of the country’s population. In excess of 20,000 houses were damaged / destroyed, whilst on some islands (Tongoa, Emae and Erromango) more than 90% of houses were reported as damaged. Thousands of people were temporarily displaced to makeshift evacuation centres such as schools, churches and community buildings.
There was no shelter cluster in Vanuatu prior to TC Pam, although the NDMO had requested IFRC support to establish one some two weeks prior to the event. Following TC Pam, the shelter cluster was immediately established within the existing NDMO cluster framework as a “working group” of the logistics cluster.
However, the shelter cluster quickly became autonomous from the logistics cluster and for all intents and purposes operated as standalone cluster throughout the response. However, there was no operational Government of Vanuatu (GoV) lead agency for the shelter cluster until after the immediate emergency response phase1 . Until this time, IFRC undertook all shelter coordination activities, with support from various shelter cluster partners. The key findings and recommendations derived from the lessons learned exercise highlight the importance of having an established GoV authority as operational lead agency for the shelter cluster.
The shelter cluster comprises over 35 partner organisations including the GoV, IFRC, UN agencies, Vanuatu Red Cross, international and local non-government organisations and faith based organisations.
The objective of the shelter cluster is to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the shelter response by co-ordinating the numerous partners whom collectively form the shelter cluster, and also liaising with the GoV, UN Agencies and other clusters. Such co-ordination involves developing and disseminating shelter polices, standards, information management, agency areas of activity etc., with respect to the shelter response to TC Pam.