A New Zealand medical team in Fiji's Vanua Balavu is now visiting remote areas of the cyclone battered northern Lau group.
The New Zealand Defence Force brings relief equipment and aid supplies ashore at Lomaloma. Photo: Supplied
A team of about 270 Defence Force personnel is in Lomaloma, the main town on Vanua Balavu, after HMNZS Canterbury arrived at the weekend.
Its commanding officer, Simon Rooke, said the ship is the perfect platform for humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations.
He said aid supplies have been offloaded using Canterbury's landing craft and are being distributed to the affected communities while medical personnel and volunteers have been flown around the group by the ship's Seasprite helicopter.
Amphibious beach team member Sergeant Dion Lowery guides members of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Light Task Force ashore. Photo: Supplied
The head of the New Zealand Medical Assistance Team, Martin Buet, said a doctor and three nurses are conducting outreach clinics in the different villages of Vanua Balavu over the next two weeks.
He said they may deploy another team to northern Lau if the local authorities see there's a need.
Thirteen members of the New Zealand Fire Service's Urban Search and Rescue, or USAR, team are also helping in the rebuild of Vanua Balavu.
NZ Defence Force sappers install a reverse osmosis system to convert seawater into drinking water to support the NZ contingent and to provide potable water to Lomaloma residents. Photo: Supplied
