The European Union (EU) has said it supported Nigeria and five other Sahel countries affected by floods with €5.4 million.

In a statement by the bloc on Monday, the other countries that benefitted are Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Mali and Burkina Faso.

The bloc noted that the fund was meant to assist the more than 4.4 million people estimated to be affected by floods in the countries.

“The amount will be distributed as follows: Chad €1 million; Niger €1.350 million; Nigeria €1.1 million; Mali €1 million; Cameroon €650,000; and Burkina Faso €300,000.

“The funding comes in addition to €232 million in humanitarian assistance already allocated to these countries so far this year,” it said.

EU decried that flood destroyed schools, houses, roads and public health facilities, saying the funding would ensure the provision of food, shelter and access to clean water and sanitation in hardest-hit areas.

“The EU and its partners had already responded to the immediate consequences of floods in Liberia, Guinea, Chad, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Mali,’’ the bloc said.

In the statement, Janez Lenarčič, the Commissioner for Crisis Management, was quoted to have said, “Excessive rainfalls had lashed the Sahel and Lake Chad regions with unprecedented impact, displacing millions and causing widespread suffering and damage.

“We are mobilising all means at our disposal to help the most vulnerable in the flood-stricken countries so they can receive much-needed relief.”

(NAN)