Cyclone Gabrielle: United States sends response team to help recovery

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is sending a team of technical experts to New Zealand to help with the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Supplied

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is sending a team of technical experts to New Zealand to help with the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.

“The friendship between our two countries is long-standing and when disaster strikes we are there for one another,” United States ambassador to New Zealand Tom Udall said.

“The devastating impact is hard to get your head around, but the resilience of New Zealanders is absolutely extraordinary,” Udall said.

USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assitance sent 12 technical experts to partner with government-led emergency operations centres, logistics staff and response planners.

“Our team will support the efforts of their Kiwi counterparts providing opportunities for teams already on the ground to rest and regroup.

“This USAID Emergency Support Team to Aotearoa New Zealand are trained, experienced disaster relief professionals,” Udall said.

“My expectation is that our team will become part of that community when they arrive during the next few days.”

There was a history of camaraderie and support between the two nations during crises, Udall said.

“USAID teams came to help after the Christchurch earthquake and the USS Sampson helped to get supplies ashore following the Kaikōura earthquake.

“The HMNZS Te Kaha was offered to take the place of USS Fitzgerald when that ship suffered a collision at sea, claiming the lives of seven US sailors.

“When wildfires break out in the United States, Kiwi firefighters are always the first ones to get on a plane.”