Cyclone Gita: Bottled water running out in New Plymouth 22 Feb, 2018 11:39am Quick Read New Plymouth shops are running out of bottled water as crews work around the clock to repair a pipe damaged by ex-cyclone Gita.
The New Plymouth District Council is repairing the pipe and investigating alternative water supplies.
Mayor Neil Holdom says it’s a big job because crews are also having to fix a support bridge around the pipe.
He says they’ll be preparing the pipe and welding pieces together, so it should be fixed by tomorrow.
Patients and staff at Taranaki Base Hospital were given clean drinking water last night and a water tanker will be used to maintain a clean supply to the hospital.
District Health Board head Gillian Campbell said services at the hospital were running as normal.
NZ to send $1.5 million to Syria in humanitarian aid 22 Feb, 2018 11:37am Quick Read With civilians continuing to suffer in the on-going crisis in Syria, the New Zealand government says it will send another $1.5 million in humanitarian aid.
"The situation for civilians in Syria remains dire, with more than 13 million people requiring humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs," he said.
More than half the medical clinics and one in three schools have been destroyed.
Access to safe drinking water is limited for much of the population."