Get Guardian on GoogleOn 15 February, the UK Minister for Africa Vicky Ford, has announced £500,000 of UK aid for Madagascar following the devastating impacts of Cyclone Batsirai.
The powerful Category 4 Tropical Cyclone has killed 121, left 230,000 people in need and destroyed essential infrastructure such as roads and schools, with the east coast and southern central highland areas being the hardest hit.
The £500,000 of UK support will go to an International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) Appeal – as a first tranche of aid – to help provide shelter, clean water, food and support livelihoods for around 50,000 people in the most vulnerable regions of Madagascar.
UK Minister for Africa Vicky Ford 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 UK is providing immediate support to those most in need through our partners on the ground, helping Madagascar recover from such destructive natural disasters.”
Tropical Cyclone Batsirai follows Tropical Storm Ana in January, which affected upwards of one million people across Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
The UK continues to monitor the situation closely and is working with local authorities and partners to assess impacts.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Government of UK.
