A community group has organised a fund for the New Zealand-based victims of the White Island / Whakaari eruption.
The devastating eruption last week killed at least 18 people and injured more than 25 others. While most of those who received severe burns in the disaster are tourists from overseas, some are also Kiwis from the local community, including tour guides.
To provide medium to long-term support for the New Zealand-based victims, the Eastern Bay Community Foundation will accept donations to eventually be spent "in collaboration with affected groups and victims". Donations will be collected from Wednesday.
"We know that there will be long-term needs, including rehabilitation and trauma-counselling of NZ-based victims and support workers, and we will safeguard these funds for where the greatest needs are in the future," foundation chair Doug Bull says.
"In the meantime, other agencies, such as Victim Support and the Red Cross, are undertaking their essential work on the ground, and we urge people to continue to also donate for immediate needs."
Foundation trustee Jacqui Hughes told Newshub that the fund was about providing ongoing support. She said the community group would work with specialist organisations to understand what support was necessary.
"We will meet with people involved in the whole programme to put forward a plan with some criteria. We are not the experts in what people need," Hughes said.
"It is not just the immediate victims either, it is their family, the first responders, the medical staff, people who, maybe down the track, things will happen."
Many of those injured in the eruption have suffered significant burns to more than 80 percent of their body. Burns units across the country have been inundated with patients, but pressure has come off in recent days as Australian victims have been repatriated.
Some of the victims of the disaster have set up individual fundraisers which have received thousands of dollars in donations in the last week.
The Eastern Bay Community Foundation is part of a network of Community Foundations, which often support victims of disasters and those in need. The Christchurch Foundation helped support the medium to long-term victims of the March 15 attacks.
Details on how to donate to the Whakaari fund can be found here.
