Forty-eight tonnes of relief assistance from the government of India arrived at the Nadi International Airport yesterday.

The Indian government was among the first to offer help after Cyclone Winston, immediately pledging to give $US1 million ($F2.13 million) to the Government.

Relief items also were brought here by an Indian Air Force C17 Globemaster aircraft.

Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vishal Khanna said: “The government of India has close ties with the Fijian Government, so the Indian government decided to assist Fiji in their time of need.”

He said the aircraft loaded 20 tonnes of relief material from Delhi before loading 28 tonnes more of items from Chennai.

“We wanted to bring the items as fast as we could and deliver it at the earliest. The supplies include medicine, food supply in terms of ready to eat rice, milk powder, and tents for those who have lost their homes.”

Commissioner Western Manasa Tagicakibau, on behalf of the Government, thanked the Indian government and its people for their timely assistance.

He said the first wave of ration had been distributed to the whole of Western Division as of yesterday.

“We have pushed the ration to as far as evacuation centres and the public at large. We are pushing to the evacuation centres because those who had lost their homes are there,” he said.

“We have to provide for them, concurrently those rebuilding homes and those homes partially damaged.”

Mr Tagicakibau said one week’s supply of rations had been distributed to the maritime zones including the Mamanuca Group,Yasawa Group and Vatulele Island.

“On the fifth day of the week, we will be pushing the ration for one month,” he said.

Education

Mr Tagicakibau said those school children who had lost their uniforms during the cyclones would be permitted to wear mufti and attend classes.

“The Education Ministry is working out a strategy plan for those schools damaged to accommodate students who have damaged classrooms.”

He said the other school items would be looked after by the Ministry.

Edited by Filipe Naigulevu

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