Your trusted source

Emergency aid is beginning to reach some of the worst-hit islands of Vanuatu, after a cyclone tore through flattening entire villages, the BBC reported.

Officials say planes have taken food, water and medical supplies to Tanna island, which was directly in the path of Cyclone Pam.

But aid agencies warn much more aid will be needed in the weeks to come.

Flights over some islands showed villagers had marked out the letter H for help, one man said.

Assessor for the United Nations Joe Lowry told the BBC that people were still in desperate need of shelter and water.

"We know what the needs are now on six of the islands and we have a fair idea of what the needs are going to be everywhere else and those needs are definitively shelter and more shelter," he said speaking from Tanna.

"Where I was today they are pretty much out of fresh drinking water. Food is in very short supply and lots of the food stocks that were there have been damaged. The food that was growing above ground was all swept away."