Australia, China fund flood victims
14-Jan-2009 05:23 PM

AUSTRALIA and China yesterday offered their support for the flood victims in Fiji.

Despite politically strained relations between Australia and Fiji’s interim Government, Australia has offered $A150,000 to emergency flood relief efforts underway in Fiji while the Chinese government donated $50,000 to the disaster fund set up by the interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

The two countries are the latest to join New Zealand who has offered $100,000 through the Fiji Red Cross and it is believed that the interim Government will provide about $US57,000 (F$98,750) in aid.

Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Duncan Kerr said they would provide more help if needed.

Days of torrential rain and storms on the west coast of the island nation have killed at least seven people and forced nearly 10,000 people into temporary shelters.

Hundreds of tourists have been trying to leave the country, and Government in Suva has declared a state of emergency as it battled the worst flooding in a decade.

“We stand ready to respond to any request,” Kerr told ABC News yesterday.

“In the past where Fiji has suffered in storm damage, we helped to supply food and Red Cross inventories. We understand they are substantially stocked at the moment but if there is any rundown in that area, or if there are any formal requests from the Fiji Government we stand ready to offer further assistance,” Kerr said.

Meanwhile, Counsellor of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China Fei Mingxing said Chinese Government was pleased to provide assistance and is confident that under the leadership of Fiji Government, people of country would be able to cope with the disaster.