EU releases 2.5-mln euro for cyclone-affected population in Myanmar, Bangladesh

BRUSSELS, May 25 (KUNA) -- The European Commission Thursday announced the release of 2.5 million euro (USD 2.7 million) in emergency humanitarian aid to address the most urgent needs of the affected population following cyclone Mocha in Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Both countries are host to highly vulnerable populations that have been severely affected by the cyclone, said the EU's executive body in a statement. Myanmar's Rakhine State, which was the worst affected, is home to people who have been already displaced by conflict and whose temporary shelters have been largely destroyed, it noted.
Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district, also hit by the cyclone, hosts 1 million Rohingya refugees. It said that additional heavy rainfall is expected in both countries over the coming days, increasing the risk of more flooding and landslides. EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, said, "A swift response is crucial in the wake of any emergency, especially when a disaster impacts already vulnerable communities, like those affected by cyclone Mocha in Myanmar and Bangladesh." (end) nk.gta