EU Solidarity Fund: EC proposes € 15 million of aid for regions in Hungary hit by severe floods

The European Commission proposed to grant aid from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) totalling € 15.06 million to help to deal with the consequences of the flood disaster that severely hit Hungary earlier this year. The money will be used to reimburse a part of the cost of emergency measures such as rescue services, the cleaning up of disaster stricken areas and the restoration of basic infrastructures to working condition. The severe floods along the Danube and Tisza rivers in Hungary, which continued for several weeks during April and May this year, were caused by unusually high quantities of quickly melting snow and intensive rainfall adding to the already unusually high levels of water coming from Austria on the Danube. The flood disaster caused casualties, extensive damage to public and private property, as well as disruptions to public services. Total direct damage is estimated at around € 519 million.