1 May 2018

New Zealand delivers aid supplies for Vanuatu volcano victims

10:50 am on 1 May 2018

New Zealand has delivered 23 tonnes of emergency aid for Vanuatu's volcano evacuees.

LAC Zinzan Currey unloads water containers from a RNZAF Boeing 757 at Bauerfield Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu, part of an 11 tonne delivery of relief supplies for Ambae Island.

LAC Zinzan Currey unloads water containers from a RNZAF Boeing 757 at Bauerfield Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu, part of an 11 tonne delivery of relief supplies for Ambae Island. Photo: NZDF

The supplies included hygiene kits, tarpaulins, mother-and-infant kits and shelter toolkits.

The New Zealand Defence Force flew the supplies at the weekend into the main logistics hub in Luganville on the island of Santo.

Santo is close to Ambae whose 11,000 residents have been told to evacuate because the island's erupting volcano is making the island uninhabitable.

A transfer of aid for Ambae Island between a RNZAF Boeing 757 and a RNZAF C130 at Bauerfield Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu, involving 11 tonnes of relief supplies for Ambae Island. The C130 proceeded on to Luganville.

A transfer of aid for Ambae Island between a RNZAF Boeing 757 and a RNZAF C130 at Bauerfield Airport, Port Vila, Vanuatu, involving 11 tonnes of relief supplies for Ambae Island. The C130 proceeded on to Luganville. Photo: NZDF

The Defence Force said more supplies including water tanks, rainwater harvesting kits, food and water are being transported to Vanuatu on the HMNZS Canterbury.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs