The New Zealand navy multi purpose vessel HMNZS Canterbury has returned to Suva to load more emergency supplies for Fiji's northern islands.
HMNZS Canterbury is being loaded at Devonport Naval base before heading to Fiji. Photo: RNZ/ Rowan Quinn
Fifteen tonnes of construction material and nine tonnes of food had been loaded for distribution in the northern Lau archipelago.
The building material were destined for villages on Vanuabalavu and the Yacata Islands.
The commander of New Zealand's disaster relief task unit, Major Chris Wilson, said eight combat engineers from New Zealand and three from Fiji were part of a 16-person reconstruction team that would be based at Yacata for the next 10 days.
Major Wilson said the team's priorities included construction work on a school, a medical centre and the water reticulation system.
