United News of Bangladesh

The European Union (EU) is providing €200 000 in humanitarian funding to support people affected by severe monsoon rains in Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachhari districts. This funding will benefit 125,000 Rohingya refugees as well as vulnerable host communities in some of the most affected areas, said the EU Embassy in Dhaka on Friday. Death toll from floods, landslides rises to 57 This EU funding will support the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society in providing emergency shelter materials, as well as rebuilding damaged shelters. It will also help to repair essential water and sanitation facilities, provide seeds and gardening supplies, and give cash assistance to affected families. Women, girls and others facing heightened protection risks will receive dignity items, information and referral support. The operation will also restore landslide protection through cash-for-work. Communities impacted by the heavy rains will receive further training to better empower them to be more prepare for floods, landslides and other emergencies infuture. 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). Since 5 July, intense rainfall linked to a monsoon depression triggered flooding and landslides in Chattogram Division. As of  July 13, over 1.1 million people were affected. Thirty people had died and more than 38,000 had been displaced. The rains damaged shelters, water and sanitation facilities, access routes and other essential infrastructure in the Rohingya refugee camps and surrounding host communities. In the camps alone, over 4,300 shelters and hundreds of water and sanitation facilities were reported damaged. The EU and its Member States are the world's leading donors of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world.