Christmas at sea in aid effort

Troops help storm- hit Fiji

SINCE DECEMBER 31, THE ADF HAS MOVED ABOUT 13 TONS OF BUILDING MATERIALS AND 14 TONS OF HUMANITARIAN AND DISASTER RELIEF STORES.

HUNDREDS of Australian Defence Force soldiers have missed Christmas and the new year with their families to help rebuild schools and deliver a $ 4.5m aid package in “COVID- 19 bubbles” in cyclone- battered Fiji.

Cyclone Yasa, a category 5 and one of the strongest recorded in the Pacific, made landfall in mid- December, killing at least four and flattening villages, destroying homes and ruining crops.

More than 600 specialist medical and engineering teams missed Christmas Eve with their friends and families to board the nation’s largest Navy ship, HMAS Adelaide, to deliver relief supplies to Fiji.

Most of the personnel have been self- isolating for two weeks on board the ship since December 29, while others are undertaking quarantine in “COVID- 19 bubbles” to allow them to start rebuilding schools in Galoa ahead of the January 18 school term.

In late December, an RAAF C17- A Globemaster aircraft flew building materials, tents, medical supplies, solar lighting and hygiene kits to help the rebuild efforts.

Disaster relief supplies were also on Sunday delivered to Navouwalu for distribution to the Fiji military forces.

Crews have also managed to transfer 13,000 litres of purified water to the island of Vanua Levu, which had its water supply disrupted by the storm.

Since December 31, the ADF has moved about 13 tons of building materials and 14 tons of humanitarian and disaster relief stores.

Two RAAF P- 8A Poseidon aerial assessment missions have also helped the Fijian government to develop an early picture of the scale of the damage.