EU offers 16.6 mln euro to quake-stricken Nepal

BRUSSELS, May 4 (KUNA) -- The European Commission Monday announced financial support worth 16.6 million euro to assist Nepal after the devastating earthquake that hit the country just over a week ago.
The assistance will be provided directly to the Government of Nepal and will be available later this week, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, told a press conference.
Following the joint EU-UN mission to Nepal, an additional 3 million euro of emergency aid has also been made available today, bringing the total of the European Commission's support since the earthquake struck to 22.6 million euro.
"This support is an expression of our solidarity with the Nepalese people. It is vital for the Government of Nepal to allow relief efforts to conitnue, as well as to kick-start rehabilitation work after the devastating earthquake," said Mimica.
On his part, speaking at the joint press conference EU Commissioner Christos Stylianides, responsible for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, who has just returned from a visit to Nepal, said he took stock of the needs and the European efforts to help the Asian country.
"I have witnessed the magnitude of the destruction and of the support that will be needed to recover from such a devastating earthquake. I reaffirmed the EU's tangible solidarity with the government and people of Nepal and with the heroic emergency actors working around the clock on the ground," said Stylianides.
Over 7,000 people are reported to have died and more than 14,000 injured in the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that devastated Nepal. (end) nk.mt