Brussels, 20/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to allocate a further €6 million in humanitarian aid to the victims of the earthquake that hit Peru on 15 August 2007.
One month after the disaster, the humanitarian consequences of the earthquake are far beyond what was initially estimated and the people affected still depend entirely on humanitarian aid for their survival. Hence the need to review the level of aid upward.
“There are still more than 250,000 people who have lost their belongings and houses. They remain displaced without appropriate shelter, or are relocated in temporary shelters with limited access to basic water and sanitation facilities”, said Louis Michel, Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner.
Funds, from the ECHO (European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department) budget, will essentially be used to cover the most pressing needs - shelter, water, sanitation and food - of some 200,000 hard-hit persons. Priority will be given to those left homeless as a result of the earthquake. Part of the funding will be used for immediate measures to improve aid coordination, protection and disaster preparedness.
The above humanitarian aid will be in addition to the €2 million primary emergency aid launched by ECHO for emergency relief in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. (an)