KATHMANDU, Aug 29: The European Union (EU) has allocated 2 million euros in humanitarian aid to support communities affected by flash floods in Nepal that have killed more than 600 people while thousands of others have gone missing.
The funding is intended to help meet immediate needs including food, healthcare, clean water and sanitation, with EU-funded partners already providing assistance on the ground, the European Commission stated in a release on Friday.
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The new allocation follows almost 3 million euros in humanitarian support earmarked earlier this year for Nepal for disaster preparedness, according to The Brussels Times, an international media.
The Commission said partners began providing help immediately after the floods, including pre-positioned shelter and the distribution of relief items.
The EU is also deploying its Rapid Response Coordinator for Asia to help co-ordinate the bloc’s response.
To support local responders, the EU has activated its Copernicus satellite service — an Earth observation system that can produce rapid maps for emergencies — to provide maps of the affected areas, the Commission said.
Hadja Lahbib, the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, stated “Roads washed away. Villages cut off. Families searching for missing loved ones. The flash floods in Nepal have shattered communities already rebuilding from past disasters. The EU stands with them, allocating 2 million euros to bring urgent healthcare, food, water and shelter.”
