. >> it's more than 24 hours since psych loan pam hit this tiny island nation. winds of 270 kilometers and hour tore through homes destroying livelihoods. many of the quarter of a mile people who live here were forced into shelters for a second night. dozens are feared dead. with power lines down and remote villages unreachable the disaster is far from clear. >> it's been a very, very destructive cyclone and hitting a country that is using a lot of traditional chances and housing which means they are quite vulnerable to this kind of intensity. >> in japan, he was moved by the destruction, calling for international help. >> i'm speaking with you today with a hard that is so heavy i do not really know what impact cyclone pam has left us with. >> emergency units of sent to the area, their first priority to bring food and shelter to those in need of help. the cyclone wreaked havoc in other pacific islands. as it makes its way south across the pacific its forecast to pass close to new zealand in the coming hours. richard martin, al jazeera. >> more news out of libya

. >> the first a teams have reached the widespread destruction in the wake of tropical psych loan pam. eight people have been confirmed dead. humanitarian agencies warn that toll will likely rise. we have the latest. >> this wall is a sturdy, traditionally built house in port vila and this is all that's left. it had with stood two previous cyclones, but after cyclone pam this family is homeless. it's a scene repeated over and over across the capitol, port vila, the roof of this home has been torn off completely. from the hill position, the scale of the devastation becomes clear. this family owned what was once a waterfront shop. everything has been destroyed. >> the winds started to come in and everything, the glass windows smashed. >> thousands are homeless now focused on trying to survive. >> one aid agency believes up to 90% of homes in port vila had been damaged but the worst damage is thought to be on the outer islands. rescue workers warn the death toll is likely to rise. >> absolutely critical that we make contact as soon as possible so we can really get an idea of the sense of