How soldiers helped Fijians rebuild village after horror storm

Townsville based soldiers have returned from a humanitarian mission providing aid to Fiji, as the South Pacific nation grapples with an unfolding crisis left in the wake of devastating cyclones.

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TOWNSVILLE based soldiers have returned from a humanitarian mission providing aid to Fiji, as the South Pacific nation grapples with an unfolding crisis left in the wake of devastating cyclones.

More than 60 members of The 5th Aviation Regiment deployed on Operation Fiji Assist on Christmas Eve, tasked with using four MRH90 Taipan helicopters to provide relief supplies including shelter, water, food, and hygiene items, and access to education and emergency health care.

Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan crewmen unload disaster relief supplies in Nabouwalu on the island of Vanua Levu, Fiji, during Operation Fiji Assist. PICTURE: Dept of Defence.

Tropical Cyclone Yasa made landfall on December 16, 2020 leaving a trail of destruction which continues to wreak havoc on the island with roads in some areas cut, food in short supply and concerns over dirty drinking water.

Through an agreement between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Fiji Government, the Australian Defence Force was deployed to provide immediate assistance to over 200,000 men, women and children.

The tiny island nation has struggled to keep its economy afloat following two devastating tropical cyclones Yasa and Ana, the latter of which arrived at the weekend flooding streets with raging and relentless water, killing at least six people and destroying thousands of homes.

A third cyclone — Bina — was downgraded to a tropical depression, but it exacerbated flooding in regions already hard hit.

Royal Australian Navy sailors on HMAS Adelaide load disaster relief supplies onto a MRH-90 Taipan bound for Nabouwalu on the island of Vanua Levu, Fiji, during Operation Fiji Assist. PICTURE: Dept of Defence.

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Officer in Charge of the MRH90 Taipan contingent Major Ash Watt said operating under strict COVID-19 measures added to the complexity of the operation but was a critical factor given the potentially disastrous effects of a covid breakout and crippling impacts it would have on its healthcare system.

Captain Mitch Adams, Officer Commanding Major Ash Watt and Warrant Officer Class 2 Lachlan Hamilton. Around 100 Australian Defence Force members, including more than 50 soldiers from Townsville's 5th Aviation Regiment, have returned from Operation Fiji Assist. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

Major Watt said all members were confined to HMAS Adelaide for a quarantine period and conducted no contact tasks to eliminate any potential spread.

“We were doing contactless delivery of the humanitarian stores until we completed that quarantine,”

“And then the engineers on board, and also the ship’s company were able to meet with the villagers and have a more direct role in supporting and cleaning up.

“They have very isolated villages around the northern division and what we’ve seen is a fair amount of destruction, especially for category 5 cyclone.

“We received a very grateful response from the Prime Minister of Fiji for the work that we (ADF) achieved while we were over there.”

An Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan launches from the flight deck of HMAS Adelaide to drop disaster relief supplies to Nabouwalu on the island of Vanua Levu, Fiji, during Operation Fiji Assist. PICTURE: Dept of Defence.

Originally published as How soldiers helped Fijians rebuild village after horror storm