Red Cross Funds For Fiji Floods

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30399, 25 March 1964, Page 3

Red Cross Funds For Fiji Floods

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, March 24. The New Zealand Red Cross Society will spend £lOOO to support relief work on the flood-stricken Fijian island of Viti Levu. The gift was announced by the society this evening.

“This evening the director of the British Red Cross in Suva reported that it was still raining,” said an official of the society. “He said two valleys on Viti Levu had been washed out.” Conditions on the island were described as “devastating.” Hundreds of people have been evacuated from flooded areas. The Auckland district of the Red Cross Society has already answered an appeal for clothing and food. A T.E.A.L. aircraft left Auckland this evening with 6001 b of clothing and food for the island. The freight was taken free of charge by the airline. More assistance will be sent tomorrow by T.E.A.L. and Pan American Airways, who have also offered to carry relief freight without charge.

Food and Water Royal New Zealand Air Force flood relief work continued in Fiji today. After evacuating a total of 621 people from the flooded areas yesterday, launches and barges from Lauthala Bay spent today reconnoitering the flooded area. A flood relief fund has been established on the islands and at present Lauthala Bay heads the list with a total of £l4O donated.

For the servicemen taking part in the relief work the last two days have not been without humour. Warrant Officer J. A. Pickford; afloat in his private boat,

sailed through the door of the Nalilili mission church in his quest for people in distress. What he found, however, proved embarrassing for him. A service was in progress with the parishioners standing on the pews to keep above the water level. The service was held up while Warrant Officer Pickford turned his boat around and sailed out.

New Danger In Nandi Area (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) SUVA, March 24. Two deaths have been reported in severe floods which have devastated areas of Fiji. An Indian man and a 14-year-old Indian schoolboy were drowned in the swollen rivers. As relief work continued today, an urgent warning was broadcast to people in lowlying areas near Nandi to evacuate their homes immediately. The warning said the situation was likely to become worse as the river continued to rise rapidly. The people of Nandi had just cleaned up after floods which swept through the area on Saturday. They have been told that the flood level may be even higher tonight.