In the aftermath of the earthquake that hit Nepal and India, High Representative and Vice-President Federica Mogherini, the EU Commissioner for Development Neven Mimica and the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Christos Stylianides made the following statement:
We are deeply saddened by the destruction and loss of life caused by the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal and parts of India this morning.
The full extent of the casualties and damage is still unknown but reports indicate they will likely be high, both in terms of loss of life, injuries and damage to cultural heritage. Our hearts go out to the Nepalese and Indian people and all the families affected by this tragedy.
This is a humanitarian emergency that requires an internationally coordinated relief effort, which the EU is prepared to support. The European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre is closely monitoring the situation and the Commission’s humanitarian experts are on their way to the crisis areas. We will also look into how we can help Nepal to deal with the destroyed and damaged buildings and how to help its citizens. We are considering to provide Nepal with some budget support.
