Brussels, 30/08/2007 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has allocated €9.5 million in emergency aid to flood victims in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Provided by the ECHO (European humanitarian aid service) budget, the funds will finance the immediate distribution of food rations and drinking water, emergency shelter and healthcare, in particular to prevent outbreaks of water-borne diseases.
The amount and the destination of the emergency aid was determined by ECHO experts currently in the affected areas on the basis of an assessment of the most urgent needs. The next step is to assist the recovery of livelihoods, damaged housing and water-sanitation facilities.
Commission-funded humanitarian aid projects are implemented by the non-governmental relief organisations, specialised agencies of the United Nations and the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. The ECHO regional support office based in New Delhi and field experts in Bangladesh and Nepal are closely monitoring the situation and play an active role in the local coordination of relief efforts.
The floods that hit South Asia early August have affected over five million homes in India and over one million families in Bangladesh. In Nepal, they have forced 350,000 families to leave their homes. The three countries have lost standing crops, there is serious erosion of farmland and property, destruction of livestock, equipment and food, as well as the contamination of surface water sources, wells and latrines. (an)