EU provides 300,000 euros to flood-hit Sri Lanka

COLOMBO - The European Commission has allocated 300,000 euros in humanitarian funding to Sri Lanka to bring emergency assistance to communities affected by the recent floods, a statement by the EU in Sri Lanka said Friday.

"This contribution from the EU will allow our partners on the ground to provide relief to the most-impacted families. This is an expression of solidarity from the European people to the people of Sri Lanka," said Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.

The EU-funded assistance will focus on the most pressing needs of the affected families in the immediate aftermath of the floods, including access to clean water and sanitation facilities, the provision of essential household items, as well as emergency shelter.

The EU funding is being made available via the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) through its Small Scale Response mechanism.

Additionally, the Commission's Emergency Response Coordination Center has activated its Copernicus mapping service upon request from the World Food Program. The Copernicus maps will focus on the Southern and Western areas of Sri Lanka that have been affected by the rains, the EU statement said.

The death toll in Sri Lanka caused by major floods and landslides reached 206 on Friday with 92 people still missing, the Disaster Management Center said.

Over 650,000 people have been affected while an estimated 100,000 people having been shifted to safe locations.

Over 10,000 houses have also been fully or partially destroyed.

Days of severe rains since May 26 caused major floods and landslides in at least seven districts of the country - the worst floods to hit Sri Lanka since 2003.

International assistance has also poured into the country in addition to naval teams from India, Pakistan and China coordinating with the Sri Lanka Navy in the relief assistance.