Maintaining clean water has become the top priority in cyclone-ravaged Vanuatu, more than a month after Cyclone Pam blew apart water tanks and contaminated wells, Oxfam says.
The international aid agency has been trucking clean water to thousands of people to prevent the spread of disease, but efforts are now turning to sustainable solutions that can be managed by communities.
With 80 per cent of the population reliant on agricultural production prior to the cyclone, there is urgent need for crops to be replanted, Oxfam Australia Chief Executive Dr Helen Szoke said.
"Cyclone Pam blew water tanks for kilometres in some areas and contaminated water sources, including wells," Dr Szoke said.
"We've ... been pumping out contaminated wells and refilling them with clean water on Ambrym Island, including one at a school.
"The next phase will be restoring water systems and distributing pipes, pumps and tarpaulins to assist with rainwater harvesting."
Small islands which are now depending on rainwater are the most in need, Dr Szoke said.
In the weeks since the cyclone, Oxfam has delivered more than 150,000 litres of emergency water to communities on Efate Island.
Cyclone Pam made a direct hit on Vanuatu on March 13, tearing through the archipelago with winds of up to 250kph.
More than 13,000 homes were damaged and people's livelihoods were devastated, Oxfam said.
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