Rio Tinto donates A$1.5 million to support Qld and NT communities impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle and recent widespread flooding

MELBOURNE, Australia--( BUSINESS WIRE)--Rio Tinto will donate A$1.5 million to support disaster relief efforts for communities in Queensland and the Northern Territory impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle and recent widespread flooding, while also supporting longer-term preparedness and resilience for future emergencies.

Rio Tinto will provide A$1 million to assist in Queensland and help Australian Red Cross and the State Emergency Service provide response and preparedness efforts for extreme weather events.

The company will also contribute A$500,000 to assist in the Northern Territory to support preparedness efforts through Australian Red Cross.

Rio Tinto Aluminium Pacific Operations Managing Director Armando Torres said: “We have all seen the destructive force of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle and the impacts of damaging floods on communities in Queensland and the Northern Territory in recent weeks.

"These donations will help people and businesses, while also strengthening preparedness and resilience for future events.

“As a nation, we are incredibly fortunate to have organisations such as the State Emergency Service and Australian Red Cross, who provide much-needed support to communities badly impacted by natural disasters and to help those in times of crisis.

"We are proud to support these trusted organisations to deliver critical relief and resilience services and to bolster preparedness for future weather events."

To further assist, Rio Tinto will match any employee donations to these relief efforts.

The donations are part of Rio Tinto’s disaster response program, which provides support in times of need to communities where the company operates, and helping build long-term resilience to future natural disasters.