The Federal Foreign Office has now made a total of 500,000 euro available in emergency aid for flood victims in Sri Lanka’s eastern provinces.

According to United Nations figures, the severe flooding there has affected some one million people, of whom over 300,000 are still living in emergency shelters. Around 15,000 homes and several thousand hectares of arable land have been destroyed. In the worst-hit areas such as Batticaloa, 90% of the rice crop has been lost. Since the roads are impassable, many affected areas are cut off from the outside world.

The funds will be used to provide hygiene sets and food for vulnerable population groups in the emergency camps as well as returnees. It will also be spent on cleaning out contaminated wells, which will help prevent epidemics and the spread of disease.

With this money the Federal Foreign Office is funding aid projects run by the German non-governmental organizations Malteser International, Arbeiter Samariter Bund (ASB) and Care.