Russia Sends Vital Humanitarian Aid to Madagascar

(MENAFN) Russia has delivered essential disaster relief to Madagascar, including approximately 60 tons of food, to support recovery efforts following two consecutive cyclones, according to reports from the Russian Embassy in Madagascar.

The island nation was struck last month by two severe tropical storms, Gezani and Fytia.

Cyclone Fytia made landfall on January 31, triggering extensive flooding in the northwest and central highlands, killing at least 14 people and displacing over 31,000 residents. Earlier, on February 10, Cyclone Gezani struck near Toamasina, Madagascar’s main port, devastating nearly 90% of local infrastructure, killing at least 59 people, and leaving hundreds of thousands without shelter or access to clean water. The government declared a national state of emergency on February 14.

Reports indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed solidarity with Madagascar on February 19 during talks in Moscow with the country’s interim president, Michael Randrianirina, and instructed the Defense and Emergency Situations Ministries to provide urgent aid.

The humanitarian handover took place at Antananarivo International Airport on February 27.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations contributed 60 tons of food, including 30 tons of rice, 16 tons of red beans, and 13 tons of vegetable oil. The Defense Ministry supplied six trucks, sugar, pasta, and sunflower oil, while two Mi-8 helicopters were deployed to reach remote and hard-to-access areas, as stated by reports.

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