ISLAMABAD: The European Union (EU) has allocated 300,000 euros to provide emergency relief to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) quake victims.
According to a press release issued by the European Consulate on Friday, the funds will help in addressing the most pressing needs of around 3,000 vulnerable people in some of the hardest quake-hit areas.
Earlier, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also extended its help for the quake victims and the Japanese government had also offered to help the earthquake victims.
The help was offered by the Japanese ambassador to Pakistan in a telephonic conversation with Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt. General Muhammad Afzal.
On September 24, a strong earthquake of 5.8-magnitude brought disasters to different parts of AJK. The eartquake hit some urban and rural parts of the AJK including Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Kotli and many other scattered places.
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“We are acting fast to channel emergency aid to those most affected in Pakistan,” said the Head of the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Office in Islamabad, Bernard Jaspers-Faijer.
“Our funding will assist the most vulnerable and help provide shelter to those who have lost their homes and belongings in the aftermath of the strong tremor. Our thoughts are with all the victims and first responders working around the clock to save lives.”
The assistance will also ensure access to clean water for the communities in the affected areas. Special attention will be paid to those most in need, including people with limited sources of income.
The EU funding is made available via the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) through its Small Scale Response mechanism.
Nearly 40 people were killed and more than 700 others injured when a strong, 5.3-magnitude, earthquake struck eastern parts of Pakistan in the afternoon of 24 September. The earthquake, which was followed by a number of aftershocks, caused extensive damage to houses and infrastructure.
According to government data, more than 8,600 houses, as well as a number of roads and bridges, sustained severe structural damage. Mirpur, the largest city in the Pakistan-administered territory of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, is the most affected area with the epicentre located only one kilometre from the city.
The tremor was also felt in several neighbouring provinces, including Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. An estimated 100,000 people have been severely affected by the disaster.
(With additional input from INP)
