Editing History of Tuvalu (section)

===Cyclone Pam 2015===
Prior to the formation of [[Cyclone Pam]], flooding from [[king tide]]s, which peaked at {{convert|3.4|m|ft|abbr=on}} on 19 February 2015, caused considerable road damage across the multi-island nation of Tuvalu.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=24 February 2015|access-date=17 March 2015|title=Tuvalu surveys road damage after king tides|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/266995/tuvalu-surveys-road-damage-after-king-tides}}</ref> Between 10 and 11 March, tidal surges estimated to be {{convert|3|–|5|m|ft|abbr=on}} associated with the cyclone swept across the low-lying islands of [[Tuvalu]]. The [[atoll]]s of [[Nanumea]], [[Nanumanga]], [[Niutao]], [[Nui (atoll)|Nui]], [[Nukufetau]], [[Nukulaelae]], and [[Vaitupu]] were affected.<ref name="TuvaluReport">{{cite report|work=International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|publisher=ReliefWeb|date=16 March 2015|access-date=17 March 2015|title=Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) Tuvalu: Tropical Cyclone Pam|url=http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/MDRTV001dref.pdf}}</ref><ref name="RNZI191">{{cite web| work= Radio New Zealand International |title= One Tuvalu island evacuated after flooding from Pam|date =18 March 2015|url= http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/268988/one-tuvalu-island-evacuated-after-flooding-from-pam| access-date=18 March 2015}}</ref> Significant damage to agriculture and infrastructure occurred.<ref name="TuvaluRNZ1"/> The outermost islands were hardest hit, with one flooded in its entirety.<ref name="TuvaluFJMarch16">{{cite news|agency=[[Radio New Zealand]] |newspaper=The Fiji Times|date=16 March 2015|access-date=17 March 2015|title=Emergency supplies being mobilised for Tuvalu|url=http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=298438|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402092423/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=298438|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> A state of emergency was subsequently declared on 13 March.<ref name="FenS15">{{cite web |title=Press Release issued by the Office of the Prime Minister |publisher=Fenui News |date=13 March 2015 |url=https://www.un.int/tuvalu/sites/www.un.int/files/Tuvalu/Documents/GA/fenui_mar_13_2015_special_edition.pdf |access-date=17 November 2018}}</ref><ref name="TuvaluRNZ1">{{cite web|publisher=Radio New Zealand International|date=14 March 2015|access-date=15 March 2015|title=State of emergency in Tuvalu|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/268612/state-of-emergency-in-tuvalu}}</ref> Water supplies on Nui were contaminated by seawater and rendered undrinkable.<ref name="TuvaluReport"/> An estimated 45&nbsp;percent of the nation's nearly 10,000&nbsp;people were displaced, according to [[Prime Minister of Tuvalu|Prime Minister]] [[Enele Sopoaga]].<ref name=rnzi>{{cite news|title=45 percent of Tuvalu population displaced – PM |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/268686/45-percent-of-tuvalu-population-displaced-pm |work=[[Radio New Zealand International]] |date=15 March 2015|access-date=15 March 2015}}</ref>

New Zealand started providing aid to [[Tuvalu]] on 14 March.<ref name="RW1">{{cite web|author=Joshua Kuku|agency=Agence France-Presse|publisher=ReliefWeb|date=14 March 2015|access-date=15 March 2015|title=Aid effort stepped up after monster Vanuatu cyclone|location=Suva, Fiji|url=http://reliefweb.int/report/tuvalu/aid-effort-stepped-after-monster-vanuatu-cyclone}}</ref><ref name="RNZI17">{{cite web| work= Radio New Zealand International |title= International assistance due today in Tuvalu|date =17 March 2015|url= http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/268866/international-assistance-due-today-in-tuvalu| access-date=17 March 2015}}</ref> Owing to the severity of damage in the nation, the local chapter of the Red Cross enacted an emergency operation plan on 16 March which would focus on the needs of 3,000&nbsp;people. The focus on the 81,873&nbsp;[[Swiss franc|CHF]] operation was to provide essential non-food items and shelter.<ref name="TuvaluReport"/> Flights carrying these supplies from Fiji began on 17 March.<ref name="RNZI191"/> Prime Minister Sopoaga stated that Tuvalu appeared capable of handling the disaster on its own and urged that international relief be focused on Vanuatu.<ref name="RNZI191"/><ref name="TuvaluFJMarch16"/> Tuvalu's Disaster Coordinator, Suneo Silu, said the priority island is [[Nui (atoll)|Nui]] as sources of fresh water were contaminated.<ref name="RNZI191"/> On 17 March, the [[Taiwan]]ese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a donation of US$61,000 in aid to Tuvalu.<ref>{{cite web|agency=[[Central News Agency (Republic of China)|Central News Agency]] |publisher=Focus Taiwan |date=17 March 2015 |title=Taiwan donates US$61,000 to cyclone-hit Tuvalu |location=Taipei, Taiwan |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201503170033.aspx |access-date=5 April 2017}}</ref> UNICEF and Australia also delivered aid to Tuvalu.<ref name="UNNC19">{{cite web| work= UN News Centre |title= UNICEF rushes emergency supplies for cyclone-affected Tuvalu |date =19 March 2015|url= https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=50368 | access-date=22 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="AAPy">{{cite web| agency=Australian Associated Press| title=Aust sends cyclone aid to Tuvalu| date=19 March 2015| url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/26729475/aust-sends-cyclone-aid-to-tuvalu/| access-date=22 March 2015| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402191527/https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/26729475/aust-sends-cyclone-aid-to-tuvalu/| archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref>

As of 22 March, 71 families (40 percent of the population) of Nui were displaced and were living in 3 evacuation centres or with other families and on Nukufetau, 76 people (13 percent of the population) were displaced and were living in 2 evacuation centres.<ref name=RW22>{{cite web|url= http://reliefweb.int/report/tuvalu/tuvalu-tropical-cyclone-pam-situation-report-no-1-22-march-2015 |title=Tuvalu: Tropical Cyclone Pam Situation Report No. 1 (as of 22 March 2015)| date =22 March 2015|publisher= Relief Web |access-date= 25 March 2015}}</ref> The Situation Report published on 30 March reported that on Nukufetau all the displaced people had returned to their homes.<ref name=RW30>{{cite web|url= http://reliefweb.int/report/tuvalu/tuvalu-tropical-cyclone-pam-situation-report-no-2-30-march-2015 |title=Tuvalu: Tropical Cyclone Pam Situation Report No. 2 (as of 30 March 2015)| date =30 March 2015|publisher= Relief Web |access-date= 30 March 2015}}</ref> Nui suffered the most damage of the three central islands (Nui, Nukufetau and Vaitupu);<ref name="UNDP">{{cite web| work= United Nations Development Programme|title= Forgotten paradise under water|date =1 May 2015 |url= https://undp.exposure.co/forgotten-paradise-under-water| access-date=8 June 2015}}</ref> with both Nui and Nukufetau suffering the loss of 90% of the crops.<ref name=RW30/> Of the three northern islands (Nanumanga, Niutao, Nanumea), Nanumanga suffered the most damage, with 60–100 houses flooded and damage to the health facility.<ref name=RW30/>