Providing assistance after major earthquake in Vanuatu

This earthquake impacted a number of Healix clients, all of whom required a range of assistance in the wake of the incident, including medical and security assistance, evacuation services and support for those deploying into the country to offer post-disaster aid. Communication networks were severely affected, leading to disruptions that made initial rescue and coordination efforts increasingly complex.

Our team had a multi-faceted approach across several clients with varying requirements. Immediately following the earthquake, we reached out to confirm the safety of individuals that were known to be in the vicinity of Vanuatu. When two staff members were unable to get word to their employer in New Zealand to confirm they were safe, we worked closely with the client to locate those individuals.

In another instance, a family of expatriates in Vanuatu with a two-year old was feeling particularly concerned. We set up a call with them and our client (their employer) to develop a plan for evacuation and ensure the family had the supplies they needed. Other individuals impacted by the earthquake were evacuated via New Zealand government planes; we worked with them to ensure suitable ground transport, visas, supplies and accommodations as needed. Another client needed to obtain medical clearance in short order to enable disaster recovery staff to deploy into Vanuatu. This was completed in a very short timeframe.

Our team provided briefings, recommendations and assistance to five Australasian organisations across NGO, corporate and government sectors. Many of the affected individuals were able to receive help and ongoing updates and alerts because they were tracked via our app. Our team also facilitated introductions for some of these organisations with appropriate contacts within the New Zealand Government, who were sending a plane to Vanuatu.