Pacific / Vanuatu

Red Cross relief supplies bound for Vanuatu islands

06:59 am on 6 May 2020

The Vanuatu Red Cross is looking to distribute relief supplies to islands affected by Cyclone Harold later this week.

At the weekend the NGO received 3 containers of supplies from New Zealand and Australian chapters of the Red Cross.

The Secretary-General of Vanuatu Red Cross, Jacqueline De Gaillande said it's the first significant relief to come in after last month's category 5 cyclone disaster.

She said the containers are under quarantine at the Port Vila wharf, after some delays in getting into the country because of border restrictions due to the covid-19 pandemic.

"We had to wait for the stop of the bans to travel around the islands. And this is happening on the 10th (May)."

"And going through the quarantine and the spray and fumigation, we should have our container accessible this week. And we hope to send them at least Wednesday or Thursday," she said.

Aid delivered to cyclone victims in Vanuatu Photo: IFRC

She said that in the weeks after the cyclone, it was difficult to access the affected regions.

"We had the support of aerial assessment where we could see how destructive was the cyclone, and it was destructive.

"So actually we can access there. We have team deployed on the ground. We have also lots of volunteers from the provinces that are really working hard."