A GWENT woman whose cousin and her young family are stranded on a cyclone-hit island of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean says she fears for their safety.

Australian-born Natalie Terrell, who now lives in Gelli Unig Terrace in Pontywaun, has not had contact from her cousin Margaret Richards since deadly Cyclone Pam struck on Saturday and said they are in an “impossible situation”.

Ms Terrell, aged 36, said Mrs Richards and her husband Tom have been working as missionaries for the last two years out on the north-west coast of Tanna Island, which is part of the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. They have four young children aged between two and six years old.

The cyclone has destroyed or damaged 90 per cent of the buildings in the capital of Port Vila, the country's president Baldwin Lonsdale said. Six people have been confirmed dead, and dozens injured after the category five typhoon smashed across the Vanuatu archipelago.

Ms Terrell said: “They’re in an isolated place. It was badly struck. Their house was built to be cyclone-proof but this one has been so catastrophic.

“Tom is a very capable person but they live seven miles north of the nearest air strip and 14 miles north of the nearest town. It’s going to be very difficult to get to them.”

Mr and Mrs Richards, who are both originally from Perth and in their early 30s, are one of the only people on the island who own a car. But Ms Terrell said she would not be surprised if it had been blown away in the storm.

She added: “They’ve got little children. I’m not worried as much as to think they have not survived, but the biggest problem for them now is the food and drink situation.

“Their access to fresh, clean water will be very difficult, and access to fresh fruit almost impossible.

“They’re not with the main population so they’re not going to be a priority for people.”

Ms Terrell said her cousin’s family were prepared for the cyclone but had not made contact since the day before Cyclone Pam ripped through Vanuatu.

“We normally contact via e-mail but even before the cyclone they only had enough electricity to use the internet for 10 minutes a day,” Ms Terrell added. “They use a generator – they have no water or power mains. Margaret has a mobile phone but the signal is very limited at best.

“They are in an impossible situation. They haven’t got a way of communicating. I’m just hoping the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can get hold of them.”