Israel aiding Paraguayans displaced by worst flooding in 50 years

Embassy in Asuncion says Jewish state ‘sympathetic to our sister nation in this difficult moment’

By JTA 7 January 2016, 9:58 pm

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Local residents navigate along a flooded street in Asuncion, on January 4, 2016. So far, six people have died, more than 100,000 people have been displaced, 25,766 families are in shelters, 125,000 homes are without electric power. (AFP PHOTO/NORBERTO DUARTE)

Israel will donate food and assistance kits to help Paraguayans displaced by massive flooding in the region, the worst in half a century.

“The State of Israel is sympathetic to our sister nation of Paraguay in this difficult moment when thousands of citizens have been forced to leave their homes behind,” the Israeli Embassy in Asuncion said. “We are ready to support the government to provide humanitarian aid.”

Some 100,000 Paraguayans have been displaced by the flooding caused by torrential rain, which was triggered by the El Nino weather phenomenon and started falling in the region on Dec. 18. Some rivers have reached a height of 32 feet and burst floodwalls.

The flooding had a stronger impact on residents of low-lying slums, who sought shelter in camps on higher ground and are sleeping in improvised tents.

Another 50,000 people also were stricken by floods in bordering areas in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, but Paraguay was the most-affected nation.

Israel reopened its Paraguay embassy in July after it was closed in 2002 due to financial constraints. The countries have strong ties in the fields of anti-terrorism, trade and agriculture.

Paraguay is home to a Jewish community of about 1,000.