BELIZE CITY, Belize.- In response to Hurricane Earl, which struck Belize on 4 August 2016 causing significant damage across the country, the European Commission is providing 50,000 EUR in humanitarian funding to assist the most affected populations.

This EU funding supports the Belize Red Cross in delivering much needed relief, including access to safe water, sanitation services and hygiene promotion, reduction of risks for vector and waterborne diseases, non-food items and livelihood asset replacements for the most vulnerable families.

The humanitarian aid will directly benefit 2,200 persons (440 families), who had their homes damaged and are currently without water or electricity, in areas currently affected by flash floods.

The 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).

Hurricane Earl made landfall in Belize on 4 August, as a category 1 hurricane, with wind gusts of up to 68 mph (110 km/h) causing significant damages to homes and infrastructure, blocking roads and isolating numerous communities with widespread power outages. Schools, markets, airports and ports were closed, and water supplies affected in several parts of the country. Initial assessments indicated that 3,500 people were evacuated to 94 shelters across the country.