Cyclone Pam Departs Vanuatu
As one of the strongest cyclones every recorded in the South Pacific, Cyclone Pam devastated the island archipelago of Vanuatu. As the cyclone bore down on Vanuatu's central islands on the afternoon (local time) of March 13th, Pam's maximum sustained winds were estimated to have increased to 270 kph (~167 mph) by the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), making it a category 5 storm on the US Saffir-Simpson scale. The storm caused immense, widespread damage with the islands of Erromango and Tanna suffering a direct hit. Although damage is still being assessed, the number of reported