Cyclone Heta

Cyclone Heta struck Niue on 6 January 2004 causing extensive devastation across the Island. The Cultural Centre was flattened and both the Archives and Library were severely damaged. Through funding provided by Archives New Zealand, the National Library of New Zealand and NZAid two conservators - Jocelyn Cuming and Tharron Bloomfield from the National Preservation Office/Te Tari Tohu Taonga visited Niue between 9-16 February to provide assistance and make an assessment of the situation.

Armed with preservation supplies and boxes they were able to help the Archivist and other staff to dry, rehouse and reshelve much of the archives and also designed and outfitted a temporary storage space for the archives. It is estimated that 90 - 95 % of the archives survived the cyclone. Most were in fair condition due in part to the very good natural ventilation of the buildings.

Archives New Zealand in conjunction with other New Zealand government agencies will be considering options for further assistance for the Archives on Niue in the near future. In addition, PARBICA has been working with the International Council on Archives Head Office in Paris regarding other possible international assistance.

On behalf of PARBICA I wish to offer our condolences to the Niue Archivist Joan Talagi who suffered extensive personal losses during the cyclone.  It is hoped that international relief efforts and reconstruction will return Niue to normality in the near future.

Michael Hoyle
President
23 February 2004

The following photographs show the damage and preservation work that was able to be completed during the National Preservation Office visit to Niue: