Disasters in the Pacific

Thank you all for the support with the New Zealand Red Cross Disaster Fund. It is thanks to people like you that we can do the good work that we do. Below is an update on the affects of the recent weather system Cyclone Gita in the Pacific and New Zealand.

As you will know Cyclone Gita moved across New Zealand after hitting Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. New Zealand Red Cross is working with the IFRC office in Suva, where they are coordinating support for Tonga and Samoa.

Vector-borne diseases, such as Dengue, have been identified as a major risk due to the amount of water collecting after the cyclone.

Tonga Red Cross has completed assessment and distribution in eight areas: Fangaloto, Ngele'ia, Fasi, Amaile, Kolofo'ou, Kolomotua, Mataika and Halaleva. Red Cross has reached a total of 117 households, reaching 1024 people. Assessments were also completed in assessments in 'Eua Motu'a, and blankets, lanterns and cooking sets have been distributed to prison inmates and staff on 'Eua.

According to the National Emergency Management Office, 25% of Tonga's population has been affected. Water and power infrastructure is still damaged. The National Emergency Management Office has indicated that it could take up to one month to reconnect electricity to all areas. However, power has been restored to the Tonga water board, allowing water to be pumped into undamaged water tanks. Tonga Red Cross has distributed relief supplies such as shelter tools, tarpaulins, kitchen sets, shelter kits, lamps and hygiene kits to affected communities. New Zealand Red Cross has sent over supplies to replenish stocks for Tonga Red Cross. These supplies include blankets, jerry cans, kitchen sets, solar lamps, mosquito nets, shelter toolkits and tarpaulins.

In Samoa the state of emergency has been lifted. Initial assessments indicate over 5,540 households have been impacted. New Zealand Red Cross has transferred $10,000 from its Pacific Disaster Fund and dispatched 300 tarpaulins at Samoa's request.

The Fijian Government's focus is on Oni-i-Lau and Vatoa Islands. There are reports of nine evacuation centres in Southern Lau with 475 evacuees. There are also reports of 22 evacuation centres in Kadavu and surrounding islands with 749 evacuees. Further assessment information is pending on the impact to coastal villages.

Gita hit New Zealand overnight as an ex-tropical cyclone, bringing heavy rains and high winds to central New Zealand. States of local emergencies were declared in Nelson-Tasman, Buller, West Coast, Westland, Selwyn and Christchurch.

Disaster Welfare and Support Teams were deployed to the West Coast and to Nelson to assist with Civil Defence Centres as people were evacuated from their homes overnight. Teams are now conducting community outreach in affected areas and teams are travelling to Taranaki to assist with emergency water supplies, after Gita damaged pipelines.

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