European Union brings relief to the victims of floods in Kazakhstan

Following extensive floods in several regions of Kazakhstan affecting more than 117,000 people, the European Union is providing €200,000 in humanitarian funding to assist the most affected families.

This EU funding supports the Red Crescent Society of the Republic of Kazakhstan (RCS-RC) in delivering much needed relief assistance, including household item such as mattresses and bed linen, multi-purpose cash, and hygiene promotion.

The humanitarian aid, to be provided for the following three months, will directly benefit 5,000 individuals who have been seriously affected by the flooding. Particular focus will be on assisting female headed households, households with disabled or elderly family members, and families with more than three children.

The funding is part of the EU's overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Following heavy rainfall and spring snow melt in early April, Kazakhstan has experienced floods in several regions displacing more than 117,000 people. The flooding has already reached its peak in Akmola, Aktobe, and Karaganda regions, while, in the East-Kazakhstan region, the peak is anticipated in a week. A second wave of floods is further anticipated in the West-Kazakhstan region. The floods have killed more than 5,700 heads of livestock, 60,000 heads have been relocated so far. National authorities have evacuated people from the flood affected areas while the national Red Cross /Red Crescent society has started to distribute hygiene items, mattresses and bed linen, basic health information on water borne diseases. The Red Crescent Society is also assessing the protection needs of those displaced.

Background

The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.

Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

The European Union is signatory to a €8 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to "small-scale" disasters - those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

The Disaster Response Emergency Fund was established in 1979 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit within its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €10 million.