The European Union has allocated €100,000 to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by the floods that recently struck large parts of Sri Lanka.
Issuing a statement, the EU said the aid will benefit close to 15,000 people in the worst-hit localities in Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Western provinces.
This EU funding supports the Sri Lankan Red Cross Society (SLRCS) in delivering emergency relief items, including drinking water, clothes, bed sheets and mosquito nets. In addition, affected families will receive cash grants to enable them to meet their basic needs. The assistance will also focus on cleaning up flooded areas and wells while delivering hygiene promotion campaigns. Medical camps will be set up to assist those injured in the wake of the floods.
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).
The southern part of Sri Lanka started experiencing a series of strong monsoon rains in early October, causing floods and landslides that affected more than 75,000 people in 13 districts. As a result of the continued downpours and strong winds, a number of houses, agricultural lands and crops in low-lying areas were damaged. Major traffic arteries in several districts were cut off by fallen trees. The floods left many drinking water resources contaminated.
The worst affected areas were the coastal districts of Galle, Gampaha and Matara, with most parts flooded for more than a week. (NewsWire)
