Cyclone Pat wreaks havoc in Aitutaki

Firsthand reports from Aitutaki this morning confirm widespread damage and destruction following the onslaught from Cyclone Pat. “Never before have I seen so much damage and this one is bad and I mean bad,” said a concerned Teina Bishop MP for Are Nikau.
“Trees are down, roofs have been virtually blown off, fences are down and basically plantations have been uprooted and stripped of their produce including bananas, pawpaws and breadfruit. In all my years I’ve never experienced anything like this. It has caught us by complete surprise,” said Bishop. “The cyclone started building momentum around 11.00pm but its full force hit around 2.30am this morning. There is no power so additional impacts are likely to follow because of this.”
“This cyclone was a worrying one because it appears we were hit from 2 fronts which is possibly the reason for the widespread damage. Even my own property has been extensively damaged and I am inland but I am more concerned for our people, especially those on the coastland who were vulnerable to the cyclone’s path and possibly have nothing left after today. “
“We have not been able to go outside yet to assess the full extent of the damage because of the danger of flying debris and iron roofing plus trees that are blocking our roads. I’m hoping and praying there has not been any casualties because of the cyclones destructive force.”
“For now, all we can do is wait until this passes over before any assessment can be done. I strongly urge everyone especially those in Rarotonga to batten down, put everything away and start tying your roofs. It is understood that the Island Council will be calling an emergency meeting this morning to assess the status of the damage before responding to any potential calls for assistance.”
“Right now, our priority is to ensure everyone is safe before we decide what to do next,” said Bishop.