Brussels, 29/08/2005 (Agence Europe) - On 26 August, the European Commission approved an EUR 3.5 million action plan for helping the populations of the Caribbean to ensure they are prepared to respond to natural disasters, especially hurricanes and floods. The funds will be provided by the ECHO budget (Community's Humanitarian Aid Office) under the DIPECHO (Disaster Preparedness ECHO) programme, which aims to reduce the impact that natural disasters have on the vulnerable populations in high-risk areas. Funding will go to humanitarian organisations present in the region and will concern Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Suriname, Belize, the Cayman Islands and the islands of the eastern Caribbean. The programme will finance early warning equipment, training for disaster preparedness and the development of emergency disaster relief mechanisms.