CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
MEDIA RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10 January 2014
Caritas communities prepare to respond as Tropical Cyclone Ian approaches Tonga
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is preparing to support Caritas Tonga’s response to Tropical Cyclone Ian, which is due to
hit the islands of Ha’apai and Va’vau later today.
Mark Mitchell, humanitarian programmes coordinator for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, says Caritas Tonga has trained
relief committees in Ha`apai and Va`vau. These committees have identified church buildings that could be used as
evacuation centres and are making last minute preparations for the storms.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is in regular communication with our counterparts in Tonga and has committed funds to
respond should the need arise. “Caritas Tonga is a key response organization in Tonga, and has played a vital role in
coordinating relief and rehabilitation projects, such as the construction of cyclone-strength housing for vulnerable
families,’ says Mark Mitchell.
The Director of Caritas Tonga, Sr Senolita Vakata, is meeting regularly with the National Emergency Management
Organisation and Red Cross officials to plan the potential response.
Tropical Cyclone Ian is the first cyclone of the annual cyclone season, which runs from November to March. Mark Mitchell
says the cyclone has been slowly building up strength over the last few days but it has proven to be very difficult to
predict and there is still some uncertainty about what it may do.
Meteorologists have now classified the storm as a Category 4. Wind speeds are expected to reach between 165 km/h and 230
km/h. The slow moving cyclone is travelling in an easterly direction and will affect the islands of Ha’apai and Va’vau
late Friday night and into the weekend before turning further south.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has worked closely with Caritas Tonga for more than a decade in emergency response and
long-term development programmes. In December Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand and Caritas Tonga initiated an emergency
water management programme in Ha`apai to support 2400 people access drinking water in five villages acutely affected by
a four-month drought.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is a member of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 165 Catholic aid, development
and social justice agencies active in over 200 countries and territories.
ENDS.