A helping hand from one of New Zealand’s Pacific neighbours has been welcomed by a Hawke’s Bay family in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

A 34-strong Fijian Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief Task Force has been assisting with the cyclone response after a request from the New Zealand government.

Members of the Fijian Task Force recently worked alongside New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) engineers to help the Hindmarsh family after slips severely damaged their Patoka home and farm, cutting off their water supply.

Corporal Scott MacLellan was among personnel from the New Zealand Army’s 2nd Engineer Regiment who arrived at the farm with their Fijian comrades, bearing a water tank and fittings.

“The water supply was out of action and covered in silt. We’ve got a temporary tank here and we’re going to be hooking it up to the water pump in his house so they can start having a bit of normality,” Corporal MacLellan said at the time.

Other personnel worked to break up fallen trees with chainsaws, clear fence lines of mud and silt, repair stock fencing, and dig back the slip where it had impacted the house.

Farmer Tim Hindmarsh said the cyclone had badly affected his family and it was a pleasure to host the NZDF and Fijian Task Force.

“They’ve been absolutely wonderful. Especially in reconnecting our house water for domestic use, which we haven’t had since the cyclone. It didn’t seem to take them any time at all. And also doing some earth clearing where the enormous slip hit our house and buildings,” he said

The Fijian Task Force, which includes 26 personnel from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), arrived in New Zealand last month.

Source: New Zealand Defence Force

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