Building 'Earthships' to withstand vicious storms

Building 'Earthships' to withstand vicious storms

You would have seen in the news the cyclone that's killed at least 29 people in Fiji and the scale of destruction there.

Last year we introduced you to workers from Vanuatu who were learning to build an Earthship.

Earthships are shelters built from materials like tyres, soil and stone. They are incredibly strong and able to withstand the vicious battering of tropical storms.

The island of Tanna was one of those places that got hammered by Tropical Cyclone Pam, so tyres rolling ashore on the Pacific paradise was a welcome sight.

Project manager Zane Holloway says the best way to describe Earthships is like a Hobbit Hill. It's covered in earth all around the sides and a hollow in the centre.

The workers are now back in Vanuatu ready to pass on their skills and knowledge, and this is one particular New Zealand project helping the people get back on their feet.

Watch the video for the full Story report.