It is estimated that over 1.2 million people, or around 30% of the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina, are affected by the severest floods ever recorded in the country, which also struck parts of neighbouring Serbia and Croatia. Apart from the direct consequences of the flood waters submerging dozens of towns and villages, there is also the incidence of landslides, exposed landmines left from the war and the possibility of post-flood infectious diseases.
On Friday, May 15, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated in order to help the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina in their relief efforts. So far, 21 EU Member States – Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, and the UK – have offered assistance that is already being put into use or is underway.
The assistance is comprised of direct financial donations, as well as various technical equipment (helicopters, boats, pumps, tents, sandbags etc.), food and water and manpower with over 130 relief workers currently on the ground. An EU Civil Protection Team arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 18 May to provide support and assistance to the local authorities and make assessments. The European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre is in constant contact with both affected countries and with participating states in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, matching the incoming offers for assistance with needs on the ground.
List of contributing countries and donated assets to date
|
Austria |
1,000,000 EUR donation (including Serbia), 8 motor boats with crews, 2 experts from Austrian Red Cross |
|
Bulgaria |
200 blankets and 50 tents |
|
Belgium |
1 water purification system with team and 1 HCP module |
|
Croatia |
2 helicopters with 15 crew members, 20,000 sand bags, 11 firefighters, 3 vehicles carrying pumps, generators, 8-member civilian protection brigade, 4 vehicles, 3 tin boats with motors and other equipment |
|
Czech Republic |
Team of firefighters with pumps and 1,120 humanitarian aid kit in total value of 80,000 EUR, 7,300 EU for flood prevention programmes |
|
Denmark |
2 HCP modules |
|
France |
Water purifying expert, water purifying system, mobile outdoor ambulance, boots, clothes, etc. |
|
Hungary |
100,000 sandbags |
|
Italy |
100,000 EUR donation by Italian Red Cross, medical kits in total value of 30,000 EUR |
|
Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia |
1 high capacity pumping module |
|
Netherlands |
1 water and coordination expert, 500,000 EUR donation (including Serbia) and 50,000 EUR of donation by the Netherlands Red Cross |
|
Luxembourg |
1 Flood rescue module (5 boats) |
|
Germany |
75-member team with a pump of massive capacity |
|
Poland |
10,000 EUR donation |
|
Romania |
Member of EU Civil Protection Team |
|
Slovenia |
2 helicopters, 4 boats |
|
Slovakia |
28 power generators, 6 sludge pumps, 1,600 rain coats, 60 rubberboots, 10,000 sandbags, 28 pallets in total value of approximately 72,000 EUR |
|
Sweden |
2 members of EU Civil Protection Team |
|
Spain |
40,000 EUR donation (to be split between BiH and Serbia) |
|
UK |
Specialist fire fighter team |
For additional information see the following websites:
EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre
