China provides $300,000 to flood-hit Madagascar

ANTANANARIVO - The Chinese government provided $300,000 in cash for victims of cyclones in Madagascar, an official ceremony for the donation was held at Madagascar's Prime Minister Office on Monday.

Following a mix of rainstorms and cyclones from January to March, the capital Antananarivo and its surrounding area was flooded, dozens of people were killed, more than 60,000 were affected while more than 30,000 had to flee their homes.

"Responding quickly to the distress call by the Prime Minister Jean Ravelonarivo in February, the Chinese Embassy already donated 10,000 kilos of rice and 1,200 liters of cooking oil to the victims," the Chinese Ambassador to Madagascar Yang Min said.

"As sincere and trustful friend of Madagascar, China shares the sufferance of the Malagasy people and always thinks about welfare of the victims, so we donate again $300,000 cash without counterpart," Yang Min told Madagascar Prime Minister.

Madagascar's Prime Minister took the opportunity to express to the Chinese Ambassador his "gratitude for the sympathy of China to the Malagasy people."

"We promise to make good use of this precious gift and we guarantee that it will also go into the victims' families," the Prime minister said.

The executive secretary of national bureau of risk and disaster management (BNGRC) Ludovic Lomotsy told Xinhua that the money will be used to help the victims of the drought and more than 400 people still homeless in Madagascar's capital and also to prepare for the next cyclone period from October 2015 to April 2016.

This donation is important for Madagascar because according to Lomotsy, the BNGRC has only collected 1.2 billion Ariary ($400,000) following the distress call done by the country's prime minister in February.