The UK Minister, Vicky Ford, announced £500,000 for aid for Madagascar following the devastating impacts of Cyclone Batsirai. The Cyclone has left many regions of the country with no clean water and power.
The powerful Category 4 Tropical Cyclone has killed a total of 121 people and left 230,000 people displaced and destroyed essential infrastructure such as roads and schools, with the east coast and southern central highland areas being affected the most.
The Cyclone slammed the Indian Ocean island on 5th February and knocked down houses, buildings and other properties as it battered the southeastern coast. The storm went away on the evening of 6th February, leaving the country in a drastic state.
The UK support of £500,000 will go to an International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) Appeal, as the first share of aid to help 50,000 people around Madagascar to provide clean water, shelter, food and support in the most affected regions of the country.
Vicky Ford, Minister of United Kingdom, said, “The Cyclone that has hit Madagascar is another blow to a region already made vulnerable by vicious storms across Southern Africa. They have destroyed livelihoods and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.”
“The United Kingdom is providing immediate support to those people and regions most in need through our partners on the ground, helping Madagascar country recover from such destructive natural disasters.”
In January, Tropical Cyclone Batsirai followed Tropical Storm Ana, which affected upwards of one million people across Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.
The UK monitors the situation closely and is working with local authorities and partners to assess impacts.
