"The European Union is releasing €100,000 (over 220 million Myanmar kyats) on top of the previously allocated aid funds to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by cyclone Mocha that struck Myanmar in late March The European Union is releasing €100,000 (over 220 million Myanmar kyats) on top of the previously allocated aid funds to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by cyclone Mocha that struck Myanmar in late March. In the immediate aftermath of the emergency, the European Union allocated €2.5 million in humanitarian aid to provide prompt assistance in response to cyclone Mocha’s impact on Myanmar and Bangladesh. This additional allocation will benefit over 37,000 people in the worst-hit areas, especially those in Chin and Rakhine states, as well as the Ayeryawaddy, Magway and Sagaing regions. This EU funding will support the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) in delivering immediate assistance through the distribution of emergency shelter items, primary healthcare assistance, cash grants and hygiene kits. The aid will also increase access to clean water supplies and sanitation facilities to enable communities to maintain their good hygiene practices whilst recovering. As vector- and water-borne diseases are common in the aftermath of monsoon flooding, awareness-raising sessions on these will also be conducted. 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). More than 140 people were killed and approximately 3.4 million people were affected when the powerful cyclone Mocha made landfall in the capital of Rakhine state, Sittwe, in mid-May. Packing wind gusts of up to 250 kilometres per hour, the storm triggered strong winds and heavy rainfall that inundated several homes and public facilities and infrastructure, including healthcare centres, sanitation facilities, roads and airports. Background The European Union, together with its Member States, is the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need 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 human-made crises. Through its European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the European Union helps over 120 million victims of conflicts and disasters every year. For more information, please visit ECHO's website. The European Commission has signed a €3 million humanitarian contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal. The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The contribution agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit in with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €3 million..."