New Delhi: The European Union (EU) is allocating €100,000 (nearly nine million Indian rupees) to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by the floods that recently struck large parts of northern India. The aid will benefit 40,000 people in the worst-hit localities in the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, sources said on Wednesday.
This EU funding supports the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) in delivering emergency shelter and household items, including tarpaulins, kitchen sets, woollen blankets, and hygiene kits. Health and hygiene awareness campaigns will also be carried out to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, which are common in the aftermath of flooding.
The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
In mid-August, a series of incessant Monsoon rains in the mountainous states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand triggered widespread flooding and landslides that affected over 150,000 people in several areas. The floods washed away homes and displaced thousands of people. Key infrastructure including power lines also sustained heavy damage. Shimla, Himachal Pradesh’s commercial and cultural capital, was amongst the worst affected areas.
The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.