Ambassador Carmon presenting a shipment of relief supplies to the Sri Lankan authorities. Photo: MFA.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced on Thursday that it is providing Sri Lanka with $2,000 worth of supplies to help residents of the areas affected by last week’s deadly floods.

The Disaster Relief Management Ministry of Sri Lanka received water pumps, water filters, solar lighting kits and LED torches, as well as 50,000 tablets for water purification. The MFA said in a released statement that, depending on the needs of the Sri Lankan people, Israel will also provide long- and medium-term cooperation, which will include water expertise.

“At this difficult times, the people of Israel and its government stand by the people of Sri Lanka,” the ministry said.

Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Center (DMC) confirmed that the floods across the country claimed the lives of at least 101 people, while another 100 people were still listed as missing in the central district of Kegalle, which was affected the most, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. The floods triggered landslides, and a DMC spokesperson said, more than 530 houses have been completely destroyed, and another 4,000 “partly damaged.” A third of the 650,000 residents in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo were driven out of their homes, and Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry estimated the damage to small businesses and industries at about $2 billion, according to AFP. The government has promised compensation to victims, though details have yet to be announced.

Israeli Ambassador to Sri Lanka Daniel Carmon said the Jewish state was “honored” to provide emergency assistance to Sri Lanka following the natural disaster. He said that a “National Day” reception taking place Thursday in Colombo will be dedicated to victims of the flood and to the “cementing” Israel’s strong relationship with Sri Lanka.

“Friendship between people — but more so between nations — is tested in times of need,” he said. “We have every intention that this emergency aid would ease the recovery of the areas affected by the floods and that it will transform into a strong and meaningful cooperation in the field of water…Our hearts and minds are with the people of Sri Lanka and especially the families of the victims and all of those who were affected by the floods, as the loss of lives and the damages are truly heartbreaking.”