NATIONAL OFFICE
www.redcross.org.nz
MEDIA RELEASE 23 December 2005
Red Cross to airlift water desalination plant to volcano-affected Vanuatu tomorrow
New Zealand Red Cross will send a water desalination plant to Vanuatu, where water supply has become a major issue since
the Mt Ambae volcano erupted on November 27.
Operations manager Andrew McKie says that most of the water supplies have been contaminated by ash, and people have been
evacuated to safe centres around the island where water is hard to source.
“Water is more of a concern than the actual volcano at present, especially as it is not clear when the people affected
will be able to return to their homes from the safe centres. Two thirds of the island have been evacuated from their
homes,” Mr McKie says.
The desalination plant produces 1,520 litres a day, enough for approximately 500 people, and will be flown out from
Auckland on the next available flight.
New Zealand Red Cross water and sanitation delegate Victoria Fray has been in Vanuatu since December 10, and will be
responsible for setting up the desalination plant.
Ms Fray will then train a local person to manage the desalination plant until the end of the emergency period, when the
plant will return to New Zealand to be available for deployment to other Pacific islands.
Communication is also an issue on Ambae Island, and New Zealand Red Cross will send two more satellite phones to Vanuatu
Red Cross to enhance coordination between agencies working in the area.
ends