B*N*S*N1

Operation Awhina: Canterbury Earthquake Relief

CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE - NZ DEFENCE FORCE - UPDATE 4

Thursday 24 February 2011

The New Zealand Defence Force is continuing its effort in support of emergency agencies dealing with search and rescue in Christchurch.

• 738 NZ Army personnel with approximately eighty vehicles are committed alongside116 Singapore Army personnel who were in New Zealand for an exercise. These personnel are helping man the cordons.
• Two environmental health teams are working alongside Ministry of Health teams in the city.
• A 350 bed tent city has been established at Burnham Camp to be increased to 500 beds to support the arrival of international contributions.
• 150 Air Force personnel are committed to the task with two Boeing B757 aircraft and two Hercules C-130 aircraft continued to support air-bridge task CH-WN deploying emergency response personnel and equipment , bulk water and NZDF resources.
• 1053 personnel were processed by Christchurch Air Movements. 936 personnel moved by RNZAF Aircraft.
• 91 Australian citizens have been carried by RAAF to Australia and 26 Singaporean citizens by Royal Singapore Air Force.
• Two Iroquois helicopters are currently in Christchurch from No3 SQN RNZAF.
• 200 Navy personnel are committed in the Lyttelton area with HMNZS CANTERBURY alongside Lyttelton and OTAGO/ PUKAKI at anchor in approaches.
• The Navy’s Littoral Warfare Support Group will complete a survey of the port using Navy divers and a remote underwater vehicle.
• CANTERBURY provided 700 meals last night and non-armed security patrol of 10 pers remain in the Lyttelton Town centre
• Army engineers will be setting up two water points including water purification (Lyttleton and New Brighton) later today. They will also be carrying out clearance tasks in the Pages/Breezes Rd area.
• Forty five dialysis patients were carried out of the city yesterday on a Boeing 757aircraft to Auckland.
• NZ Defence Force is providing assisitance to Civil Defence and foreign rescue teams.
• NSW has 72 pers and twenty tonnes of gear, Queensland 70 pers, 3 dogs and 22 tonnes of gear.
• Japan has 63 pers, 3 dogs and 10 tonnes of gear.
• Singapore has another 33 pers, 3 dogs and 10 tonnes of equipment.
• The US will be sending 80 pers and 40 tonnes of equipment.
• Taiwan plans to send 24 pers, 2 dogs and 2 tonnes of gear.
• The UK is sending 63 pers and 9 tonnes of equipment.

ENDS

(source)