NEW ZEALAND is to send an emergency response team to Australia to help the flood-devastated state of Queensland cope with its crisis, Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced on Tuesday.
The floods, following weeks of heavy rain, are affecting 200,000 people in an area the size of France and Germany combined.
Ten people have died trying to negotiate fast-running waters in vehicles, swimming or on foot over the past month, while the disaster is expected to cost several billions of dollars.
‘The scale of the flooding in Queensland is unprecedented. The extent of the damage will only become clear once the floodwaters subside,’ Mr McCully said as a team of 10-15 civil defence personnel prepared to depart for Brisbane.
The deployment follows talks between New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Australian leader Julia Gillard in which it was agreed a team from New Zealand would make ‘a valuable contribution’ to the recovery effort, Mr McCully said.
‘The New Zealand government is pleased to be able to assist during this difficult time and we will be standing by if any further help is required.’
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