On Friday, May 17, the Government of Japan decided to extend emergency relief goods worth eight million yen (water and food) to RMI, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in response to the request from RMI Government following serious damage from the drought.
In the northern atolls/islands of RMI, there has been almost no rain since the beginning of this year and consequently a shortage of potable water and daily life water, serious damages to crops, or water-borne diseases has occurred. April 19, RMI Government declared the state of emergency and May 8, it has elevated its status to State of Disaster due to the escalation of the severe drought condition. According to United Nations Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA) as of May 1, the number of residents in the disaster areas is about three thousand and two hundred, and according to US Agency for International Development (USAid), about five thousand people suffer from the disaster if includes moderate damages.
In response to the request from RMI Government, the Government of Japan has decided to provide emergency assistance from a humanitarian point of view for the victims as well as in light of friendly relations between Japan and Marshall Islands.