The funding, channelled via UNICEF, will serve to address the most pressing humanitarian needs, including water and sanitation, child protection and health and nutrition.

Tropical cyclone Lola caused widespread damage in northern Vanuatu, where over 110 000 people have been affected, according to reports by the UN’s Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Among other facilities, the disaster damaged or destroyed water tanks and crops, so water scarcity and food shortages are likely in the coming weeks.

In the aftermath of the cyclone, the EU activated its Copernicus satellite service in rapid mapping mode to provide damage assessment, with 15 maps produced so far. At the request of Vanuatu, the EU also mobilised support from the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, with France offering two airplane surveillance flights and eight helicopter surveillance and transportation flights.

The new funding comes in addition to the €500 000 already allocated to Vanuatu in March this year, when the twin cyclones struck the island nation leaving thousands of people homeless.

Background

The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all 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, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

The EU has provided nearly €21 million in humanitarian assistance to the Pacific region since 2008, with over €12.4 million of this aid supporting disaster preparedness programmes.

For more information on the EU’s humanitarian aid in the Pacific, please visit: Pacific region (europa.eu)