Dec. 7 disasters: UAE delegation meets with Seychelles President to offer aid

The UAE delegation visited the various disaster sites after the meeting with President Ramkalawan. (State House)

Discussions on how the government of the United Arab Emirates can offer special assistance to Seychelles following the flooding and landslide incidents as well as the CCCL explosion in the Providence Industrial Area started in a meeting of President Wavel Ramkalawan and a UAE delegation on Thursday.

According to State House, the delegation led by the Chargé d' Affaires for the UAE in Seychelles, Ahmed Alneyadi, met at State House.

"Following discussions, the delegation guided by President Ramkalawan, visited some of the affected sites around the island and one of the shelters currently hosting some of the citizens who have been temporarily relocated," said State House.

Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, suffered two major disasters on the same day on December 7. After several days of torrential rains, the northern region of the main island of Mahe, suffered rock and landslides, along with flooding due to heavy rain in which three people died.

In a separate incident, in the east region of Mahe, in the Providence Industrial Estate, a massive explosion that originated from explosives stored at a local quarrying company, which flattened large buildings, businesses, and residential houses in the vicinity.

Ramkalawan said on Thursday that the reconstruction of houses damaged in the disasters will amount to SCR100 million ($7.5 million) to SCR200 million ($15 million).