Emergency Assistance to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea for Sea Swells Disaster

December 18, 2008

On December 18 (Thu), the Government of Japan has decided to provide emergency relief goods (water tanks, portable jerry cans, plastic sheets) equivalent to about 13 million yen to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea (PNG), which has been suffering a disaster caused by the recent severe sea swells.
From December 5 (Fri) to December 8 (Mon), severe sea swells had struck northern Papua New Guinea and its island provinces, sweeping away houses and displacing people. The number of victims has been increasing over time. The PNG government’s National Disaster Center has been taking the initiative in assessing the extent of the damage. As of December 15 (Mon), according to the announcement made by a major local NGO, there were more than about 75 thousand victims, of which 34 thousand in need of immediate assistance.
Based on the request from the Government of PNG, the Government of Japan has decided to extend emergency assistance as humanitarian relief to the victims of the disaster, as well as in light of the cordial relations between Japan and PNG.

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