EU announces another 30 million euros for flood-hit Pakistan
Islamabad, Oct 4 (EFE).- The European Union on Tuesday announced another 30 million euros in humanitarian aid to help flood victims in Pakistan, taking the total assistance committed by the group to 123 million euros so far.
“With this new funding, the EU reaffirms its continued support to Pakistan and stands by the most vulnerable to help them fulfill basic needs,” European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, said in a statement after meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The EU funding will help address the most urgent needs such as basic shelters, clean drinking water and sanitation, food and nutrition as well as medical services.
It will also ensure that women, children and other vulnerable people are protected from further harm and that children have again access to education as quickly as possible, the statement further said.
The EU and its member states, together as “Team Europe,” had already committed 93 million euros in humanitarian aid to Pakistan deal with the worst floods of its history.
With this announcement, this total goes up to 123 million euros.
In addition, European civil protection agencies have provided in-kind donations of tents, blankets, medical equipment as well as experts and technicians.
Lenarcic is currently visiting Pakistan for a first hand assessment of the destruction caused by floods in the country and the ongoing assistance by the EU.
Lenarcic visited Khipro in Sindh province on Monday to witness the scale of the disaster and to speak with affected communities, as well as to oversee the European assistance on the ground.
He tweeted on Tuesday that the aim of his visit was to express the EU’s “profound solidarity with millions of people who are suffering devastating impacts of an unprecedented flooding emergency.”
Water-borne diseases like malaria, cholera, skin allergy and dengue fever have broken out in Sindh province because of stagnant water there.
According to provincial health authorities a total of 345 people have died of such diseases while more than 3.5 million have been treated in medical camps for the flood affected in the province.
According to National Disaster Management Authority, a total of 1,696 people, including 630 children, have lost their lives and more than 12,867 people have been injured in the unprecedented floods in the south Asian nation.
Moreover, over 33 million people have been displaced by the floods.
Heavy rains and floods have destroyed crops, roads, bridges, shops at a massive level inflicting an estimated $30 billion in material damage in the country.
The UN launched an emergency appeal to raise $160 million for rescue efforts and support for victims. EFE
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