Prior to the storm's passage of New Caledonia, residents there were advised to take basic precautions, such as remaining indoors during bouts of inclement weather. Storm warnings were hoisted over the
Loyalty Islands and
South Province. Vanuatu's Department of Meteorology began posting official alerts on 7 April. Warnings for heavy rains and strong winds were posted throughout northern New Zealand in anticipation of the storm's remnants. With
Easter weekend, more motorists were already expected to be traveling longer distances, and officials grew concerned of dangerous effects on traffic from the cyclone. Police increased their presence to unprecedented levels in an attempt to control speeding and other hazardous behaviors. Due to the storm's "negative impact on one or more countries",
Sose was
retired from the cyclical list of tropical cyclone names;
Vanuatu Sose predominately affected the western islands of Vanuatu, starting from the north. Most severely impacted were the islands of Espiritu Santo,
Malakula,
Aoba,
Efate,
Erromango,
Tanna,
Aneityum, and the
Shepherd Islands. A resident of Malakula was struck and killed by a
falling coconut while seeking shelter from the worsening conditions. Agriculture on nearby Ahamb Island, already impaired by Paula, was further compromised; all crops, both those remaining after Paula and those planted in the intervening time, were destroyed. Four classrooms on the small island were also damaged beyond use. Buildings on Aoba incurred appreciable damage, while on Efate, the storm brought down utility poles, severely damaged local schools, and left roads covered with debris and floodwaters. Flooding in the nation's capital city of
Port Vila forced 50 residents to leave their homes in search of higher ground. Espiritu Santo, particularly the island's south shore around
Luganville, bore the brunt of Cyclone Sose. Several types of crops (also weakened by Paula) took a heavy beating, and 60 people had to evacuate due to encroaching floods. In total, the storm demolished 59 houses on the island and in some way damaged another 101. A young child drowned after being swept away while attempting to cross a swollen waterway. Just offshore, the
M/V Omale succumbed to the heavy seas; all 16 of its occupants successfully swam four hours to shore. The National Disaster Committee met on 9 April to discuss potential emergency aid for residents of the areas hardest hit by cyclones Sose and Paula. Around the same time, the Vanuatu Red Cross stated that it would distribute supplies such as materials for makeshift shelters and water purification tablets. The Red Cross was also to provide 500 bags of rice to villages in the Shepherd Islands. Political unrest on a national level limited the government's attention to initial recovery; it did not immediate declare a state of emergency or file any requests for international aid. A severe traffic accident occurred on
State Highway 28 at Tapapa,
Waikato, on the morning of 13 April. The head-on collision was attributed to slick roads resulting from the storm. Three individuals were killed and two more were hospitalized. Several other accidents were reported around the same time. In addition to the rainfall, strong winds brought down trees and utility poles across the island and as far south as
Marlborough on the
South Island. There, the strong winds fanned a large fire ignited by sparks from downed power lines. The fire covered more than 70
hectares (175
acres) of land and prompted several families to evacuate their homes. Three people were injured at
Ohakune after a temporary tent collapsed at a local festival. Along the coast, swells triggered by Sose reached in height. Offshore
Kingscliff, New South Wales, a yacht capsized, forcing its two occupants to swim to land. Although the event became infamous within local surfing circles, at least one surfer was hospitalized after being swept against rocks, and several others required rescue. Some
beach erosion was reported in several locations, leading to minor sandbagging efforts to hamper the erosion. ==See also==