NZ promises $1m in aid to Fiji for cyclone relief effort

The New Zealand Government has committed an initial $1 million in aid to Fiji after a devastating cyclone which has killed at least one person, destroyed homes and knocked out power and communications, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says.

More than 18,000 people are being housed in evacuation centres following Cyclone Tomas, which battered Fiji's outer islands with winds of up to 250km/h, flattening houses and causing sea surges, from Monday.

Mr McCully said discussions on how New Zealand's aid contribution could be best spent were under way, and it could go to the Red Cross, purchasing food and materials and supporting the local response.

The aid announcement followed the Australian Government's announcement of up to A$1 million ($1.29 million) in emergency assistance.

A Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules arrived in Suva yesterday with relief supplies including tarpaulins, water purification tablets and water containers, as well as personnel who will undertake reconnaissance work and damage assessment.

Mr McCully said once the cargo was offloaded, the Hercules would undertake aerial reconnaissance and was likely to deliver supplies to Labasa, on Vanua Levu, Fiji's second-largest island.

Fiji disaster management officials said they had received reports of "a few" deaths as the cyclone pounded the nation.

But National Disaster Management Office director Pajiliai Dobui said the numbers of dead and injured could not be confirmed by police until communications were restored with islands in the north and east.

Earlier, Mr McCully told Radio New Zealand the Hercules might be in Fiji for several days and New Zealand would continue to help if Suva requested it.

"It appears that after the initial reconnaissance work's undertaken, it'll be necessary to fly some supplies from Nadi or Suva to the affected areas, but [that's] going to depend on the availability of suitable runways and that sort of consideration."

An Orion was also on standby to provide further reconnaissance if required.

Mr McCully said Australia was making a similar offer of assistance and New Zealand's relief effort would be co-ordinated with Australia and France, "who've got assets in the area as well".

Rotary New Zealand was also handing out emergency response kits containing water treatment tablets, first aid materials, candles, tools and plastic cover sheets in Fiji.

Around 480 New Zealanders were registered with the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry as being in Fiji but there had been no reports of any casualties among them.

At least five New Zealand tourists were trapped on the northeastern island of Qamea without phones and power, it was reported on Tuesday.

Fiji's director of meteorology, Rajendra Prasad, said on Tuesday night that the hurricane-force winds were likely to start weakening. The category-four cyclone was expected to pass Fiji's southern-most island, Ono-i-Lau, yesterday.

- NZPA