The European Union (EU) has decided to provide an initial funding of €1,100,000 to Bangladesh in order to help the country deal with the devastating impact of cyclone Amphan.
European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, announced it in a statement on Friday.
The EU also decided to provide €500,000 to support the immediate response in India, which also faced the cyclone.
Lenarcic said: "Dozens of people have lost their lives as cyclone Amphan has come ashore southwest of Kolkata in eastern India and is making its way further northeast towards Bangladesh, causing further destruction and flooding.
"I am saddened to learn about fatalities in both India and Bangladesh, and the extent of destruction caused by strong winds, flooding and landslides, also damaging houses, infrastructure and livelihoods," he said.
The EU will address the immediate needs of populations affected by the cyclone, as well as protect humanitarian aid and health workers from their exposure to the epidemic, Lenarcic said.
"The EU is determined to start helping people in need with no further delay and provides an initial funding of EUR500.000 for India and EUR1.100.000 to support the immediate response in Bangladesh," he added.
Extremely severe cyclone Amphan made landfall on Bangladesh coasts on Wednesday evening and displaced thousands of people. It destroyed their homes, uprooted trees, collapsed embankments, submerged vast tracts of croplands, snapping power and communication lines.
So far, 31 deaths have been reported by Dhaka Tribune's district correspondents, though the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Friday, reported 26 deaths due to the cyclone.
The government estimates that the damage from Amphan amounts to more than Tk1,100 crore.
Cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in the states of West Bengal and Odisha, claiming dozens of lives and damage to property.
