Cyclone Lola: International aid begins to land in Vanuatu

NZ has deployed five NZ disaster response experts and RNZAF supply flights to Vanuatu post-cyclone. Photo / Twitter.com/@NanaiaMahuta

By RNZ

Overseas help has arrived in Vanuatu after it was hit by severe cyclone Lola last Wednesday.

The government will soon distribute international supplies that started to arrive in Port Vila this week.

Tons of local fresh food is also on its way to Pentecost Island that was hit hardest by the cyclone.

The produce has come from Santo Island that avoided a direct hit from the cyclone.

On Monday, the New Zealand government announced that it would provide an initial package of $450,000 in aid.

The Australian government will also provide an initial A$800,000 ($873,987), which will include essential items like shelter and water purification supplies.

“Funding will also support the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) with leading Australian NGOs, to deliver additional essential, targeted and effective humanitarian assistance to local communities impacted by the cyclone,” an Australian government statement said.

Damage to the Ranwadi College on South Pentecost, Vanuatu. Photo / X / yumitalem

Australia, France and New Zealand are also working together through the FRANZ, the humanitarian co-ordination mechanism to help Vanuatu.

“In times of crisis, the people and the governments in the Pacific can always rely on Australia, as a member of the Pacific family, to support their response,” Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

The Vanuatu Government has approved 1.5 per cent of its total annual budget to the response.

Australia, NZ send relief

On Monday, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) plane with over 11 tons of relief supplies, and a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) C-130 Hercules with over 11.2 tons of cyclone-relief supplies arrived at the Port Vila International Airport.

The supplies include shelter kits and tarpaulins to support families who have lost their homes; mother and Infant kits, which provide clothing, hygiene and sanitary products for mother and baby, family hygiene kits and collapsible water containers given the impact on water supply in many communities and generators and chainsaws.

Damage to the Ambaebuku School on east Ambae, Vanuatu. Photo / X / yumitalem

According to the New Zealand High Commission in Port Vila, they will continue to coordinate with the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) as well as FRANZ and non-governmental organisation partners to identify how they can best support the response.

This is the second humanitarian trip in less than a year, demonstrating how resilient the relationship between Vanuatu and New Zealand is in these difficult times, the High Commission said.