Australian sailors will embark on a Christmas eve humanitarian mission to help thousands of people in cyclone-struck Fiji.
HMAS Adelaide will leave Brisbane on Thursday with a crew of about 400 to help the island neighbour recover from category five Tropical Cyclone Yasa.
The system was one of the strongest cyclones recorded in the Pacific, and made landfall on the northern island of Vanua Leva last week.
Destruction On Kia Island and across the North of Fiji after Destruction On Kia Island and across the North of Fiji after Tropical Cyclone Yasa tore through
Torrential rain and gusts up to 345km/h hit the archipelago, which was already ravaged by Tropical Cyclone Harold in April.
Australia sends aid to cyclone-hit Fiji
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Australia to send aid to cyclone-hit Fiji
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Australia Pledges Aid to Fiji After ‘Strongest Ever’ Tropical Cyclone
Australia has pledged support to Fiji after the island nation was devastated by Tropical Cyclone (TC) Yasa, one of the strongest ever recorded in the Pacific.
TC Yasa, a category 5 tropical system, made landfall on the northern island of Vanua Leva on Thursday evening, killing at least two people and destroying scores of homes.
It brought torrential rain and gusts up to 345 km/h (214 mp/h) to the archipelago, which was already ravaged by TC Harold in April.
The Fijian government declared a state of Natural Disaster (pdf) on Thursday before the cyclone made landfall and put a curfew in place overnight.
Australia pledges to send emergency aid to cyclone-ravaged Fiji
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