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Two New Zealand Red Cross aid workers will be leaving for Papua New Guinea tomorrow (Saturday 28 January) to support the local Red Cross in helping those affected by a massive landslide and on-going floods.

Dozens of people have been killed, with many more still missing after a massive landslide wiped out entire villages in the country’s Southern Highlands on Tuesday as people slept.

Other areas of Papua New Guinea have been suffering from wide spread and on-going floods.

With limited or no rainfall over the last six months, water rationing has reached critical levels in Tuvalu and Tokalau, with the two countries now declaring states of emergencies.

The Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Commission has confirmed a new winter assistance grant to help Christchurch households with children under the age of five get back on their feet following the September or February earthquakes.

The new grant will provide an electricity heating subsidy for significantly damaged households with children under five years.

Over $35 million has been paid out to applicants for the Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Commission emergency and hardship grant.

Chair of the Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Commission Sir John Hansen confirmed that 40,216 applications have been processed in a month with the remainder of applications on track. The grant closes on Monday 11 April.

The total number of applicants stands at around 16,000 with that amount expected to rise with more people completing applications and additional grants, to be announced.

The Commission was set-up to oversee the distribution of the 2011 Earthquake Appeal funds so that donated money

Police today confirmed that the death toll from the earthquake has reached 148 people and the number is expected to rise pass 200 as more than 50 people are still listed as missing.

Reaching out into the suburbs

A squad of 60 Red Cross volunteers from across the country, backed up by Red Cross welfare teams, is now going

New Zealand Red Cross, Australian Red Cross, British Red Cross and Irish Red Cross have each launched national appeals to raise desperately needed funds for the people of Christchurch.

Japanese Red Cross has provided generous financial assistance to the New Zealand Red Cross emergency response and is sending to Christchurch a team of psycho-social workers to support affected Japanese tourists and students and their families. The Japanese psycho-social

Red Cross has eight teams and 120 trained staff and volunteers from all over the South Island currently working in Christchurch to support the relief efforts. Response and welfare teams