1 Aug 2011

Exercise Tropic Twilight wraps up in Tokelau

6:59 am on 1 August 2011

A New Zealand humanitarian aid disaster relief effort, dubbed Exercise Tropic Twilight, has just ended in Tokelau.

A team, made up of Defence Force personnel, Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management travelled to Tokelau on the HMNZS OTAGO.

They carried out medical and dental training, education on sanitation, as well as testing public drinking water sources and completing minor engineering projects.

A team also worked with Tokelau representatives to test the Tokelau Disaster Risk Reduction Plan.

The Senior National Officer for Tropic Twilight, Lieutenant Commander Simon Rooke, says they were also able to install warning sirens for locals.

Lieutenant Commander Rooke says the exercise was a huge success.

"All the three atolls we went on , the Tokelauans were extremely pleased to see us and overall I think the exercise went fantasically well and we've built some great relationships with the people of the Tokelaus as well."