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| HMNZS Canterbury (Image: Wiki Commons) |
WELLINGTON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand navy is to deliver a second shipload of emergency supplies to the cyclone-battered northern islands of Fiji, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) said Wednesday.
The multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury had returned to Suva to load more emergency supplies for Fiji's northern outer islands, Commander Simon Rooke said in a statement.
Fifteen tonnes of construction materials and 9 tonnes of food were loaded for distribution in the northern Lau archipelago, while 15 staff from Fiji government agencies also embarked.
"Returning to Suva has enabled us to pick up more supplies for villages on Vanuabalavu Island, including materials for the rebuilding that is underway there, as well as work that will begin on Yacata Island," Rooke said.
Commanding Officer of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Task Unit, Major Chris Wilson said eight combat engineers from the NZDF and three from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces formed part of a 16-person reconstruction team that would be based at Yacata from Thursday to support rebuilding on the island over the next 10 days.
Read the full story at Xinhua