Japan’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Kenichi Suganuma yesterday handed over a consignment of emergency relief goods to Foreign Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake at the Disaster Management Ministry yesterday.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for Sri Lanka provided these relief items to the Government of Sri Lanka.
The emergency relief package includes 600 tents,50 plastic sheets, 2,400 sleeping pads, 10 water tanks, 10 cord reels, 10 Generators, 600 portable jerry cans and 20 water purifiers.
Japanese Ambassador Kenichi Suganuma expressed his deepest sympathies to the victims of the disaster situation on behalf of the Government and people of Japan.
The Ambassador said the Japanese government has decided to send a Japanese Disaster Relief (JDR) Expert Team to Sri Lanka in response to the damages caused by the floods and landslides as a result of the heavy rainfall.
“There is a Sri Lankan expert currently studying about disaster management in Japan and his input and contribution will be very useful to Sri Lanka,” Ambassador Kenichi Suganuma said.
JICA will dispatch the team consisting of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and JICA to Sri Lanka on June 2.
Ambassador Suganuma also said it is important that Sri Lanka enhance its familiarity with the main stream thinking on disaster management.
Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and JICA representatives were also present on the occasion.