EU to double quake aid
2005-12-16 16:20
Brussels - The European Commission said on Friday it would double its humanitarian aid to quake-hit Kashmir to nearly €50m.
The commission, the European Union's (EU) executive arm, also said it would send another €50m for long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction work in Kashmir, which is divided between Indian and Pakistani ruled parts.
"The situation is grim for people living in the areas affected by the earthquake," said EU aid and development commissioner Louis Michel.
"The effects of the winter weather are increasingly being felt and it is essential that the international community step up its efforts to relieve the suffering," he added.
The extra humanitarian aid of €25m brings that portion of the package to €48.6m and will help pay for emergency supplies such as blankets, tents, water and fuel as well as health care and sanitation.
The October 8 earthquake killed more than 73 000 people and made some three million homeless mainly in the Pakistan zone of Kashmir.
- AFP