Seoul, 16 October 2018 – In response to large-scale flooding and landslides that hit southwestern parts of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the European Union is providing EUR 100 000 (KRW 131,000,000) in humanitarian aid funding to assist the most affected communities. This aid will benefit a total of 24 000 people in some of the worst-hit areas of North and South Hwanghae provinces.
This EU funding supports the DPRK Red Cross Society (DPRK RCS) in delivering muchneeded assistance through the distribution of non-food relief items such as shelter materials, jerry cans, hygiene kits, water purification tablets and kitchen sets. In addition, first aid services and hygiene promotion training are also provided to prevent outbreaks of communicable diseases in flood-stricken areas. The assistance will ensure the most vulnerable families are equipped with sufficient means to meet their basic humanitarian needs.
This funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
More than 70 people have been killed whilst close to 600 000 people were affected, according to information released by the government, after days of heavy downpours in late August triggered flash floods and a series of landslides that wreaked havoc in many low-lying areas of North and South Hwanghae provinces. Following the event, more than 3 200 houses have been damaged or destroyed, leaving some 10 000 people displaced.
Public facilities, such as health centres and schools, have also been affected. Furthermore, the severe flooding has left some 17 000 hectares of arable land in the two provinces inundated. The worst-hit area is Kumchon county in North Hwanghae province where over 2 400 people have lost their homes.
Background
The European Union together with its Member States is the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need 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. The European Commission through its European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) helps over 120 million victims of conflicts and disasters every year. For more information, please visit ECHO's website.
The European Commission has signed a EUR 3 million humanitarian contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Relief 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 Relief Emergency Fund was established in 1985 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 contribution agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit in with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of EUR 3 million.
For further information, please contact:
Pierre Prakash, Regional Information Officer for Asia and the Pacific, European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO): Pierre.Prakash@echofield.eu