KATHMANDU: The European Union (EU) is providing an additional NPR 89 million in humanitarian assistance to communities affected by the devastating flash floods in Nepal, bringing its total emergency funding for the disaster to more than NPR 445 million (EUR 2.5 million).
The latest funding will support a Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) operation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), led by the Nepal Red Cross Society.
The operation aims to assist up to 20,000 people, or around 4,000 households, in Bagmati Province with emergency and transitional shelter, cash assistance, water and sanitation services, healthcare, mental health and psychosocial support, protection and other essential assistance.
The additional funding comes as Nepal continues to respond to the catastrophic flash floods that struck on August 26, causing significant loss of life and extensive damage to homes, infrastructure and essential services.
Since August 26, the Copernicus satellite service has been providing mapping support to assist disaster response efforts.
The EU is also mobilizing in-kind assistance through its Civil Protection Mechanism. Germany, Luxembourg, Latvia and Sweden are sending shelter and hygiene supplies, forensic equipment and other relief materials to Nepal.
In addition, the EU is organizing a Humanitarian Air Bridge to Kathmandu. A flight carrying more than 80 tonnes of supplies from the EU’s emergency stockpile in Copenhagen is scheduled to arrive later this week.
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