In response to the devastating floods and landslides that have swept across large parts of Nepal since mid-August, the European Commission is providing €200 000 (NPR 24.2 million) in humanitarian aid funding to assist the most-affected families in various districts across the country. A total of 35 000 people will directly benefit from the aid.

This EU funding supports the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), in collaboration with the Nepal Red Cross Society, in delivering much-needed assistance through the provision of food, safe drinking water, sanitation items, and emergency shelter kits which include tarpaulins, blankets, kitchen utensils, and clothing supplies. To reduce the risk of water-borne diseases in the aftermath of the floods, hygiene promotion activities are also being provided to the targeted communities. Cash grants may also be distributed once local markets resume operations.

Since late July, Nepal has experienced unusually high monsoon rainfall. The situation worsened in mid-August when days of torrential downpours pounded large parts of the country. Considered the worst in 15 years, the incessant rains triggered large-scale floods and landslides in multiple districts, particularly those in the south of the country. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), a total of 1.7 million people have been affected, more than 461 000 of whom are displaced, and the number of deaths has been confirmed at 143 by the Ministry of Home Affaires of Nepal as of 21 August. Figures are expected to continue to rise as the water recedes and more areas become accessible. The floods and landslides have also left 65 000 homes completely destroyed, and damaged more than 120 000 others. Preliminary assessments also report extensive damage to crops, the only source of livelihood for many families living in the southern floodplains.

 “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. Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (ECHO), the European Commission helps over 120 million victims of conflicts and disasters every year. For more information, please visit ECHO's website,” said a press release issued by Delegation of the European Union to Nepal.