Emergency Assistance to the Republic of Palau in Response to the Typhoon Surigae

     On April 20, the Government of Japan decided to provide Palau with emergency relief supplies including generators, water purifiers and water tanks through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). These supplies are stored in JICA’s warehouse in Koror and will be distributed to areas where people still experience power and water outage.
 
     Typhoon Surigae, which passed north of Kayangel Island from April 15 to 17, has caused property damage, including damage to houses, as well as power and water outages across the country, mainly in Kayangel Island and the northern part of Babeldaob Island. From a humanitarian point of view as well as in light of the friendly relationship between Japan and Palau, the Government of Japan decided to provide necessary supplies to support recovery from the typhoon as urgently as possible.
 
     In the evening of April 20, the Embassy of Japan and JICA Palau Office notified the Government of Palau about Japan’s decision on the emergency assistance. The notification ceremony was held in front of JICA’s warehouse in Koror, attended by Vice President and Chairman of the National Emergency Committee Sengebau Senior, Vice Chairman of NEC Obichang, President of PCC Tellei, Executive Director of National Emergency Management Office Towai from the Palau side, Ambassador Karasawa and JICA Palau Office Chief Representative Kobayashi from the Japan side. In the ceremony, Vice President expressed her gratitude for Japan's prompt assistance. Ambassador Karasawa expressed his heartfelt sympathy to the sufferers of this disaster and conveyed his hope that the emergency relief supplies would help people in their daily lives and lead to a speedy recovery.