Switzerland sends aid to help cyclone-hit Madagascar
A satellite image issued on February 3, 2022, shows Cyclone Batsirai gathering east of the island of Madagascar. The tropical storm swept across Madagascar late on Saturday, hitting the eastern coastline with heavy rain and wind speeds of 165 kilometres per hour (100 mph).
Keystone / Nasa Earth Observatory Handout
Switzerland is sending a team of disaster experts and water and sanitation equipment to Madagascar, which has been struck by Cyclone Batsirai – the second tropical storm to cause extensive damage to the Indian Ocean island in two weeks.
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Suiza envía ayuda a Madagascar tras el paso del ciclón
Cyclone Batsirai swept across Madagascar late on Saturday, hitting the eastern coastline with heavy rain and wind speeds of 165 kilometres per hour (100 mph). The storm triggered torrential rain and floods, brought down buildings and cut power. At least ten people were killed in the southeast of the island and over 180,000 were affected, officials said on Sunday.
Switzerland announcedExternal link on Monday that it is deploying five specialists from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit attached to the foreign ministry. Equipment is also being sent to the island to help provide drinking water and reduce the risk of water-related diseases. The team left Switzerland on Sunday and will initially help support the activities of the NGO Medair, the ministry said.
On the island the specialists will carry out evaluations and prepare the reception of over two tonnes of water and sanitation equipment being sent from Switzerland.
The Swiss foreign ministry has already released CHF300,000 to support the emergency response on the island.
The damage from Saturday’s storm added to the destruction wreaked by Cyclone Ana on January 22, which killed 55 people and displaced 130,000 on the island of nearly 30 million inhabitants.
Some residents in Antananarivo sought shelter in a school building. At least ten people were killed in the southeast of the island and over 180,000 were affected, officials said on Sunday.
Keystone / Henitsoa Rafalia
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