A significant consignment of emergency relief items donated by the Government of Japan has been officially handed over to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to strengthen Sri Lanka’s ongoing response to the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

The consignment, which arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday (03), was formally handed over today (04) by Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka Akio ISOMATA and the Chief Representative of JICA Sri Lanka, Kenji KURONUMA who presented the supplies to Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) and Director General of the Disaster Management Centre, Maj. Gen. Sampath Kotuwegoda (Retd), the President’s Media Division (PMD) said. 

Accordingly, the consignment includes a range of essential humanitarian items aimed at supporting displaced families and restoring basic living conditions in hard-hit areas. 

The items include 200 tents, 1,200 blankets, 1,200 sleeping pads, 20 plastic sheets (Tarpaulin), 200 portable jerry cans and 10 water purifiers, PMD said. 

These supplies will be distributed primarily across the Badulla and Kandy districts, which were among the most severely affected by the cyclone Ditwah, resulting in widespread displacement, damaged homes and disrupted livelihoods, the statement added. 

The assistance reflects Japan’s continued solidarity with Sri Lanka during times of crisis, building on a long history of cooperation in disaster management, humanitarian support and strengthens ongoing humanitarian assistance efforts led by the Government of Sri Lanka.

-PMD-