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Wallis and Futuna (France)

Community ties help cyclone-devastated Futuna cope

It has been three long weeks of hard work for the inhabitants of Futuna since Cylcone Tomas destroyed 90 per cent of the French territory's traditional houses, over half of their public amenities and most of their crops.

The French Red Cross was quick to move into the worst-hit areas, bringing supplies and relief workers from New Caledonia.

As Florent Chane explains, they started-out with just 4 people sent from New Caledonia, but with the help of the chiefs they have now managed to recruit over 100 volunteers.

Presenter: Helen Hofman

Speaker: Florent Chane, emergency co-ordinator for the French Red Cross in the Pacific; Bernadette Papilio-Halagahau, head of the Department of Culture for Wallis and Futuna

Listen: Windows Media

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