Japan to provide emergency relief goods to Tonga [1]
Monday, February 19, 2018 - 19:33. Updated on Monday, February 19, 2018 - 19:35.
The Government of Japan is sending more emergency relief goods to Tonga at the request of the Tongan Government, in the wake of Cyclone Gita.
Goods to be provided through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), includes tents, tarpaulin plastic sheets, generators and portable fuel cans.
Last August, Japan donated $3 million worth of equipment for disaster management, and that is currently being utilized for Cyclone Gita recovery operations.
The equipment consisted of four cargo crane trucks, two water tank trucks, one septic tank truck, 15 tents, 20 mobile toilets, two life boats with engines, 15 chainsaws, 10 emergency lamps with generators, five manual forklifts, one mini excavator, and other technical equipment.
The equipment was donated through Japan’s Non-Project Grant Aid (NPGA) in light of Tonga's vulnerability to climate change and natural disaster events.
In a Facebook post, the National Emergency Management Office thanked the Japanese Government for the equipment, which they are using to distribute relief across Tongatapu.
"Without this generous help from the people of Japan, the relief item distribution would have not been possible as there would not be any large vehicles to run through debris littered, mud filled, water logged roads, let alone carry as many goods and load-up bales upon bales of relief items."
A week ago today, Tropical Cyclone Gita struck Tongatapu and ‘Eua destroying homes and causing widespread damage and injuries. To date, one person has died while several sustained serious and many more had minor injuries.