Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has sent a sympathy message to his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, following the devastation caused by typhoon Haqibis.

In his message, Minister Shahid said that he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives and devastation caused due to the typhoon

He further extended condolences and sympathies from both the government and people of Maldives “to the bereaved and affected families.”

Typhoon Haqibis has been described as “one of the most powerful tropical cyclones to ever hit the country.”

While it is the 19th named storm of the season, it tore through Japan’s main island of Honshu on Saturday and early Sunday packing winds of up to 144 kph at landfall, killing 33 and leaving 19 unaccounted for as of Sunday afternoon, according to local media outlets.