13 Feb 2010

Initial $200,000 aid for cyclone-hit Cook Islands

1:46 pm on 13 February 2010

New Zealand will give $200,000 in aid to the Cook Islands to help with the clean-up in the aftermath of Cyclone Pat.

Cyclone Pat hit the southern Cook Islands on Thursday, causing widespread damage on the island of Aitutaki.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says the $200,000 is a first step; the New Zealand Government will continue to work with the authorities in the Cook Islands, he says, in deciding how it can best support recovery efforts.

Mr McCully says that while there are no reported deaths or serious injuries in Aitutaki, estimates suggest that up to 90% of buildings have sustained damage.

The aid will be channelled through the Cook Islands Red Cross.