Australia is sending additional medical and urban search teams to Vanuatu after military aircraft revealed the extent of damage caused by Cyclone Pam.
"It's quite a devastating sight," Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
Vanuatu's southern islands have been hit hardest especially Tanna, where 80 per cent of homes and other buildings have been partially or completely destroyed.
"(The) imagery shows widespread devastation," Ms Bishop said.
Aerial surveillance by Australian Defence planes also shows significant damage to Port Vila's hospital, where a team of 54 Australian rescue personnel hit the ground on Tuesday to start the clean-up and repair job.
Meanwhile, a medical team of 20 doctors, nurses, paramedics and pharmacists will leave Darwin on Wednesday for a fortnight of emergency and general care shifts.
A temporary ward will be set up in the hospital car park with the capacity to treat 40 patients at a time.
Australia is sending three more military planes with personnel and supplies on Tuesday.
Ms Bishop said authorities are trying to verify reports a South Australian woman is missing.
Defence planes have so far evacuated 156 Australians from Vanuatu.
However, Ms Bishop does not expect further demand because commercial flights have resumed.
"We are certainly giving priority to those most in need, the elderly, the sick, pregnant women and children," she said.
HMAS Tobruk will arrive in Townsville later on Tuesday where it will be loaded with equipment and humanitarian aid.
A Royal Australian Navy MRH90 Taipan helicopter will also join the ship.
The Greens have seized on comments by Vanuatu's president linking Cyclone Pam to climate change.
"It's very clear global warming is intensifying cyclones in the Pacific," leader Christine Milne said.
She dismissed claims it was too soon to be making a political point in the aftermath of a devastating storm that left thousands homeless and the South Pacific nation with a huge damage bill.
The charities watchdog has urged Australians to watch out for Cyclone Pam fundraising scams on social media.
Scammers have set up social media accounts purporting to be well-known Australian charities with links to a donation app.
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