Emergency Aid for Tropical Cyclone Disaster in Madagascar

May 19, 2003

On May 19 (Mon), the Government of Japan decided to provide emergency assistance in kind (tents, blankets, water purifiers, plastic tanks and portable water tanks) equivalent to about 16 million yen to the Republic of Madagascar, which has sustained damage from a tropical cyclone.
On the afternoon of May 9, tropical cyclone Manou hit the central east coast of Madagascar, causing heavy rains together with winds reaching 150 km/hour to the maximum instantaneous speed and resulting in massive damage to the east coast area. Continued investigation finds great human and material damage, and reports that as of May 15, 68 people were dead, 19 missing, 86 injured and more than 110,000 affected; about 25,000 houses destroyed; government offices, local TV stations and other buildings destroyed; blackout and telephone lines disconnected; roads and bridges damaged; crops in the harvest season lost, and other material property damaged.
At present in the central east regions of Madagascar, the affected people are forced to take shelter in uncomfortable surroundings as evacuees. The Government of Madagascar has been making rehabilitation efforts on its own, but as further assistance was needed from the international community, Mr. Marcel Ranjeva, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Madagascar, on May 12 requested emergency assistance from the international organizations and diplomatic corps.
The Government of Japan has decided to extend this emergency aid from a humanitarian point of view, in light of the seriousness of the disaster and the friendly relations between Japan and Madagascar.

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