Fresh water for Tonga after devastating cyclone

As New Zealand recovers from the remnants of a tropical weather bomb, an emergency supply relief effort is underway in Auckland to help Tongan victims of the Cyclone Ian.

The first shipment of 11,000 bottles of fresh water will leave NZ today thanks to the fundraising efforts of Tongan Methodist Church at Mangere and local businesses.

The church has been collecting items to send to the victims of Cyclone Ian, which will include the pellets of bottled water.

Preventing water-borne illnesses is high on the list of priorities for relief efforts with most drinking water sources contaminated during the cyclone which hit the Ha’apai island group in Tonga earlier this month. Remaining water supplies are reported to be running critically low in some areas.

House of Travel Commercial Director Brent Thomas, who in association with EcoWai is sending the shipment of water, says they were pleased to offer emergency assistance to Tonga’s residents.

“House of Travel has a close association with the islands and we recognise how important tourism is to places like Tonga. When disaster hits we see if we can assist in a practical way and supplying much-needed water seemed the best way to help Tonga at this stage,” he says.