Australian Red Cross has sent a cargo of relief supplies to help communities in Fiji recover from last week's severe floods.
Australian Red Cross has sent a cargo of relief supplies, including hygiene kits, kitchen sets and water storage and filtration equipment, to help communities in Fiji recover from last week's severe floods.
Red Cross International Emergencies Manager, Stephen Ray, said the relief items would be distributed by Fiji Red Cross to the worst affected people in Sigatoka, Lautoka, Nadi, Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki.
"Many people in the western part of the island were still cleaning up from the January floods when they were hit by this latest disaster. These communities now face a massive task repairing flood damage to homes and businesses and overcoming the disruption to their lives," said Mr Ray.
"The clean-up will be made all the more difficult by damage to vital infrastructure, including the water supply, roads and electricity.
"The lack of access to clean water for drinking and bathing means there is a risk of illness and disease in flood-affected areas. Fiji Red Cross Society has already been distributing water and sanitation kits to families in need and these efforts will be bolstered by the supplies sent from Australia."
The emergency relief supplies were drawn from Australian Red Cross stocks in Brisbane and include around 750 adult and infant hygiene kits, 3,000 water carrying containers, more than 200 kitchen sets and water filtration equipment. The supplies were transported to Fiji with the assistance of Air Pacific.
These supplies are in addition to the assistance Australian Red Cross has provided to Fiji this year, including supporting disaster preparedness work and providing staff and equipment to help with the relief effort following the January floods.
"While the immediate threat of the flood waters has passed, the recovery journey will be a major challenge for the people of Fiji and Red Cross will be there to assist," said Mr Ray.
"This cargo of emergency supplies to Fiji has been made possible by donors who support our disaster response work by contributing to Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery."