New Zealand Increases Air Force Operations to Aid Vanuatu's Earthquake Relief Efforts

Wellington, Dec 31 (NationPress) The New Zealand government has intensified air force operations to assist in the relief efforts in Vanuatu following a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck the Pacific nation two weeks ago.

Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) C-130H Hercules aircraft conducted additional flights after the significant quake that resulted in at least 14 fatalities and left hundreds more injured, as reported by the New Zealand Defense Force on Tuesday.

Last week, two round-trip flights were executed between New Zealand and Vanuatu to facilitate the shift of disaster relief personnel and equipment from various agencies, primarily from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, while also repatriating Kiwis being evacuated from Vanuatu.

According to RNZAF Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Andy Scott, most of the personnel initially deployed by agencies to Vanuatu have returned home following last weekend's flights, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

On December 28, the Indonesian government also extended emergency assistance to Vanuatu to bolster the nation’s relief operations after the earthquake on December 17, which claimed a dozen lives and injured hundreds.

A plane loaded with a medical team and 50.5 tonnes of essential supplies and food departed from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force base in East Jakarta.

Health Minister Budi Sadikin expressed optimism that the medical team would promptly start aiding the victims upon their arrival in Vanuatu, with plans for a 14-day humanitarian mission.

Earlier, on December 24, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced a provision of $5 million in contingent disaster financing to support emergency relief in Vanuatu following the earthquake that impacted the capital, Port Vila, on December 17.

This grant was part of the fifth phase of the Pacific Disaster Resilience Programme, which has also been instrumental in enhancing the country's capacity to manage and mitigate disaster risks.

The programme was funded through a $20 million concessional loan from ADB’s ordinary capital resources and a $21 million grant from the Asian Development Fund.

The situation in Vanuatu remains dire after the earthquake, prompting the government to request international assistance on December 18.