EU provides emergency relief to flood victims in Sri Lanka

Following the devastating floods which struck Sri Lanka in mid-May, the European Commission is providing €80,000 (close to 19.5 million Sri Lankan rupees) in humanitarian funding for emergency assistance. The aid will benefit 7,500 people in some of the most affected areas in the districts of Colombo, Galle and Gampaha.

The EU funding supports the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society in delivering emergency relief to the most affected families, including those who are currently living in temporary shelters or evacuation centres, as well as to people returning home after water levels have receded. The support focuses on providing access to clean water and sanitation, particularly through cleaning the contaminated wells. First aid and medical services will also be provided, along with hygiene awareness sessions, to avoid the spread of waterborne diseases, as well as the coronavirus. Affected people will also receive household items and kitchen sets such as bed sheets, torches, cooking pots and kitchen utensils.

The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Through its European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the European Union helps over 120 million victims of conflicts and disasters every year. For more information, please visit ECHO’s website.

The European Commission has signed a €3 million humanitarian contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.