Australia commits another F$3.7 million to help Fiji recover from Cyclone Evan
23 January 2013
The Australian Government has committed another F$3.7 million (A$2 million) to help the people of Fiji recover from Cyclone Evan, Acting Australian High Commissioner, Mr Glenn Miles announced today.
“This additional support will help children get back to school as soon as possible in first term of the school year, ensure access to health services and support the recovery of food crops damaged for the third time in the same year,” Mr Miles said.
This support follows an earlier announcement of a F$1.85 million (A$1 million) package of emergency assistance, which included the delivery of emergency relief supplies in the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Evan.
Cyclone Evan hit Fiji on 17 December causing widespread damage in the Western and Northern Divisions.
“The cyclone is estimated to have caused more than F$75 million (A$40 million) worth of damage, affecting thousands of people in Fiji,” Mr Miles said.
This brings Australia’s total contribution to help Fiji respond to and recover from Cyclone Evan to more than F$5 million (A$3 million). It includes assistance to:
• education to repair damaged school buildings, replace textbooks and provide school grants in up to 83 primary schools, supporting 17,000 students;
• repair hospitals in Labasa and Lautoka, serving more than 470,000 people;
• help vulnerable communities replant crops for food security and rehabilitate commercial agriculture; and
• UNICEF to replenish pre-positioned emergency stocks including water, sanitation and hygiene supplies and education materials
AusAID will also work with the Fiji Institution of Engineers and other partners to help affected communities make their homes safer and better able to withstand future natural disasters.
“Australia is committed to helping the people of Fiji recover from Cyclone Evan,” Mr Miles said.
Australian aid in Fiji is focused on improving health, education and livelihoods for the poor.
**ENDS**