EC aids victims in India, Bangladesh

The European Commission (EC) has allocated 4 million euro in emergency humanitarian aid for victims of floods in India and Bangladesh, an EC announcement said.

Food and shelter, water/sanitation, and livelihood- rehabilitation interventions will be provided through this funding for the most vulnerable people living in rural regions in southwestern Bangladesh and urban and rural areas in India, Bangladeshi news agency UNB reported Wednesday.

"Funds are channeled through the European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel," UNB quoted a release of the European Commission reached here Wednesday.

The 2006 monsoon session in India and Bangladesh began in June, and by the end of July, a serious flooding situation had developed in southwest Bangladesh and districts in western and eastern India.

Damage from the floods includes loss of standing crops, serious erosion of farmland and property, destruction of livestock, food and tools, as well as the contamination of surface-water supplies, open wells, tube-wells and latrines.

In September, 500,000 people in India were living in emergency makeshift shelters and public buildings, while in Bangladesh 3,000 families were living in such shelters and up to 15,000 families were in need of emergency shelter support.

"This emergency decision will provide the most vulnerable people living in the flooded areas with the supply of food, shelter, water/sanitation facilities, as well as assistance in the recovery of livelihoods and in the rehabilitation of damaged housing," the EC release said.

Medical support will be provided, together with hygiene education and water purification to help avoid disease outbreaks from contaminated water supplies.

Source: Xinhua