The European Union is sending €2.1 million (about $2.4 million) in humanitarian aid to Colombia after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that killed at least 181 people. The funding will provide health care, water and sanitation supplies, shelter, food, protection and cash assistance.
€100,000 has already been sent to the German Red Cross to assist about 2,500 families in Chocó and Valle del Cauca, and EU satellite mapping services are supporting on-the-ground emergency operations.
The European Union has announced humanitarian assistance of €2.1 million (about $2.4 million) to support Colombia after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake earlier this week that has killed at least 181 people.
As search-and-rescue operations continue, the European Commission said it will provide urgent relief to the hardest-hit communities. "As search and rescue operations continue, the EU is supporting Colombia wherever possible," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.
The Commission said the funding will help deliver essential services and supplies, including health care, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) materials, shelter, food, protection services and cash assistance to families affected by the tremor.
On Tuesday the Commission disbursed €100,000 to the German Red Cross to cover immediate needs for roughly 2,500 families in the hardest-hit regions of Chocó and Valle del Cauca.
In addition to funding, the EU has made satellite mapping services available to improve situational awareness and support emergency teams on the ground.
"The Commission remains in close contact with Colombian authorities to coordinate assistance as needs evolve on the ground," the statement added.
The EU emphasized that aid efforts will be adjusted as assessments continue and needs become clearer in the coming days.
Help us improve.
