Disaster relief volunteers from New Zealand are working with authorities in Vanuatu to assess whether or not school buildings are safe to re-open three months after a deadly tropical cyclone ripped through parts of the country.

Members of Taskforce Kiwi - a disaster-relief charity made up of veterans, former and current emergency services personnel - touched down in the Pacific nation this week to carry out rapid impact assessments.

Working with the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vanuatu’s education ministry, they will visit and assess approximately 40 kindergartens, primary and secondary schools on the island of Ambrym - one of the worst-hit places in Vanuatu when Tropical Cyclone Lola tore through in late October, last year.

Taskforce Kiwi founder Richard Adams said the team has reported mixed results so far - with some schools or education facilities being deemed safe to open again, while others need urgent repair.

“The damage [to some] is significant - roofs missing, collapsed walls, things like that. It’s very much a mixed bag, in terms of impact.

Taskforce Kiwi crew members are in Ambrym Island, Vanuatu, to assess up to 40 schools affected by Tropical Cyclone Lola. Photo / TFK

“A lot of schools haven’t had any assessments done since Lola went through - and many of them can’t re-open until they’ve either had assessments or assessments and then repairs done, to ensure they’re safe for the kids to get back into the classroom.”

The crew include a surveyor chartered engineer, who will provide detailed assessments about the safety of the building or what repairs need to be made to ensure it is safe for the hundreds of school children affected.

School lessons being held in churches

Their role is also to provide information about how to make sure buildings are cyclone-proof for the future.

And there may be a clue in church infrastructure; with Adams noting photos of the cyclone-stricken areas show that where houses and vegetation were left flattened, local churches remained standing.

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School lessons have been held in churches in some villages where schools and kindergartens have been destroyed or badly damaged since Tropical Cyclone Lola. Photo / TFK

As a result, many of the churches have been used by locals to carry out school lessons inside - depending on the village.

“These are really tight-knit villages. So for the most part, they’ve been finding ways to continue that education - it’s just the schools themselves that are damaged.”

Tropical Cyclone Lola became the earliest category 5 system ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere; taking about two days to reach its peak after it first started.

At its centre, winds were estimated to reach about 320km/h. In comparison, the strongest winds to hit New Zealand during Cyclone Gabrielle reached about 130km/h.

Pregnant woman among at least 3 dead

Tropical Cyclone Lola over Vanuatu as seen in satellite imagery at 11am (NZ time) on Wednesday.

There are differing reports about the official death toll connected to Tropical Cyclone Lola.

However, authorities confirmed at the time that a pregnant woman was among at least three people killed. The mother’s unborn child also died.

At least two victims were from Ambrym Island, where the Kiwi team are this week.

Adams said they have done similar work during the flooding event in Auckland early last year and in the Hawke’s Bay during Cyclone Gabrielle.

There are plans for at least two other deployments to other affected islands in Vanuatu - scheduled later this month and the middle of next month.

Adams said despite all they have been through, villagers on Ambrym remained positive.

“Even though there are people effectively still recovering from a cyclone, they are still very welcoming and hospitable and helpful - which is crucial for our team to do the work they’re there to do.”

Vaimoana Mase is the Pasifika editor for the Herald’s Talanoa section, sharing stories from the Pacific community. She won junior reporter of the year at the then Qantas Media Awards in 2010 and picked up the best opinion writing award at the 2023 Voyager Media Awards.