A French warship is expected to reach the island of Futuna tomorrow carrying food and equipment.
The Jacques Cartier will then go on to the neighbouring island of Wallis as general supplies on both French islands have dwindled in the past few weeks.
Torrential rains and high seas earlier this month caused a quarter of a million US dollars' worth of damage to buildings and roads, and shut down the only airstrip in Futuna.
Up to 5-hundred pupils and teachers couldn't get to classes in Wallis or New Caledonia, so the territorial governor had to put back the start of the school term.
The only inter-island plane, grounded for weeks owing to technical faults, is now back in service, and a French military aircraft has been despatched from New Caledonia to join in the relief operation.
The warship is also expected to take local children on Futuna to school in Wallis.
