Brussels, 21/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - In response to the typhoons and flooding that are seriously affecting South East Asia, the European Commission has allocated €10 million to support the emergency response and provide relief to between 500,000 and a million people in the flood-hit countries. The cash from ECHO's budget (the EU's humanitarian aid and civil protection department) will be used to buy basic health care and sanitation, food and short-term livelihood support (food-for-work projects, seeds and agricultural tools), temporary shelters and non-food items such as household items, hygiene kits, cooking utensils, water canisters and boats, satellite phones and other equipment for logistics and telecommunications.
The aid will be channelled through ECHO's humanitarian organisation partners on the ground (the United Nations, charities, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent), following a “careful assessment of humanitarian needs”, explained Kristalina Georgieva, EU International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner.
The Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao PDR and Thailand have been lashed by successive tropical storms, typhoons and continuous heavy rainfall since July 2011. The flooding has killed over 600 people in the region while 7.4 million people have been affected. Infrastructure and private property, agricultural fields have suffered substantial damage. (AN/transl.fl)