Government expresses its solidarity with New Zealand
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Government expresses its solidarity with New Zealand
On behalf of the People of Timor-Leste, the Government expresses its profound solidarity with the People and Government of New Zealand suffering the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle.
New Zealand has been in a state of national emergency since Tuesday, February 14th, due to a violent cyclone hitting the country, with strong gusts of wind and heavy rain causing flooding and landslides and widespread destruction to homes, roads, and other infrastructure.
Cyclone Gabrielle has already caused at least four deaths, including one child; more than 10,500 people have had to be evacuated from their homes, more than 225,000 people are left without electricity or telecommunications, and several communities have been isolated.
Last night, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the coast of the North Island, near the capital Wellington, and was widely felt across the country, with no reports of damage or causalities from the quake so far.
The Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, expressed his “solidarity with the People and Government of New Zealand, who are facing natural disasters due to this week’s heavy rains caused by cyclone Gabrielle and which have caused great devastation”.
The Spokesperson of the 8th Constitutional Government, Minister Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, stated that “our condolences go out to the families who lost loved ones, and we salute those who remain committed in the search for survivors and in supporting the populations affected by this catastrophe”. END
