Israel was one of the first countries to send aid after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake left more than 150,000 citizens in need of emergency supplies.
Following a devastating earthquake that struck Papua New Guinea’s highlands region on February 26, the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV) delivered 40 generators to affected communities.
The 7.5-magnitude earthquake left around 100 people dead and more than 150,000 people in desperate need of emergency supplies. Israel was one of the first countries to send aid.
“These generators will provide immediate assistance to communities suffering from damage to critical infrastructure,” noted the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill.
The generators were delivered on March 8 by Yaron Sultan-Dadon, the Pacific Islands Adviser at the Israeli Embassy in Australia, who toured areas affected by the earthquake with O’Neill and assessed other possible avenues for Israeli assistance.
O’Neill said that his “government and the people of Papua New Guinea appreciate the support and friendship of Israel during these challenging times.”
Tibor Shalev-Schlosser, Israel’s Ambassador to the Pacific Island States, said Israeli Foreign Ministry “is evaluating additional means of disaster relief and will continue to assist Papua New Guinea during this difficult time.”
Originally published on Israel 21C
Photo Credit Israel MFA