SENDAI, Japan/SYDNEY (Reuters) - When Vanuatu President Baldwin Lonsdale and top disaster officials left their South Pacific island home on March 10, heading to a U.N. summit in Japan, Cyclone Pam was gathering strength and dumping heavy rain to the north.
By the time he addressed the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai on Saturday, asking for assistance in a quavering voice, Pam had strengthened into one of the most powerful Pacific storms on record.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
