 |
| © REUTERS Marko Djurica |
European Commission, Press release, Brussels, 17 May 2014:
The European Union is providing
coordinated assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism which
has been activated upon the request of Serbia and Bosnia &
Herzegovina due to severe flooding in both countries.
Serbia's
urgent request for high capacity water pumps and operational teams has
been channelled through the European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC)
and was answered positively within a matter of hours by Bulgaria,
Germany, Slovenia and Austria.
Thirty six hours after the Serbian
request was made the number of Member States offering assistance has
reached ten, with the Czech Republic, France, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia
and Estonia joining the relief efforts. Arrangements are currently
underway for the deployment of rescue boats, high capacity pumps and
operational teams in Serbia. Most of the aid will have arrived by
tomorrow.
So far, Slovenia, Austria, Luxembourg,
the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Belgium and Germany have responded
through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to the request of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, offering helicopters and motor boats to support the
evacuation of residents and transportation of water, medicines and food.
The assistance is underway and transportation costs are being
co-financed by the European Commission.
A seven-member EU Civil Protection
Team is being deployed to Serbia today to liaise with national
authorities and the EU Delegation in the country and to facilitate the
delivery of the incoming assistance. An EU team of civil protection
experts will be deployed to Bosnia & Herzegovina tomorrow.
This morning Bosnia & Herzegovina
requested the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for additional assistance as
the situation in the country is getting more critical. The Emergency
Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) has immediately communicated Bosnia
& Herzegovina’s request for pumps, generators, tents, humidity
dryers, water purification sets, gas heaters for tents, and sanitation
items to Member States.
"I want to send my sincere condolences
to the families and loved ones of those who have perished as a result
of these terrible floods," said Kristalina Georgieva, the EU
Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis
Response.
"In less than a day and a half
fourteen of our Member States - half the European Union - have responded
to calls for assistance from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzogovina,
mobilising helicopters, boats, pumping modules and expert teams. This is
an admirable display of European solidarity and we will keep supporting
our neighbours for as long as they need our help."
The European Commission's Emergency
Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) is in constant contact with both
affected countries and with participating states in the EU Civil
Protection Mechanism, matching the incoming offers for assistance with
needs on the ground.
Background
Due to continuous rainfall that
started on 13 May 2014 in Serbia and in Bosnia & Herzegovina,
thousands of people have been affected by floods.
As of 17 May the water in Bosnia and
Herzegovina is slowly declining, but the situation remains still complex
due to numerous landslides, causing house collapsing and road damages.
State and local authorities are engaged in ongoing evacuation efforts.
More than 6 000 people have been evacuated so far. It is estimated that
over 50 000 people may be affected by floods and landslides.
In Serbia, at least five people have
died after the equivalent of four month’s rainfall fell in just one day.
More than 6 000 people have been displaced and 300 000 homes are
without electricity. Many towns and villages are completely cut off and
emergency services are working around the clock to rescue people.
- On the EU Civil Protection Mechanism
The European Union Civil Protection
Mechanism facilitates co-operation in disaster response, preparedness,
and prevention among 32 European states (EU-28 plus the F.Y.R.O.M., Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). With the help
of the Commission, the participating countries pool the resources that
can be made available to disaster-stricken countries all over the world.
When activated, the Mechanism coordinates the provision of assistance.
The European Commission manages the
Mechanism through the Emergency Response Coordination Centre. Operating
24/7, the ERCC monitors risks and emergencies around the world and
serves as an information and coordination hub during emergencies. Among
other tasks, the ERCC also ensures that Member States are fully aware of
the situation on-site and can make informed decisions for providing
financial and in-kind assistance.
[europa.eu]
17/5/14
--
-
Related:
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
No comments:
Post a Comment
Only News