KATHMANDU:  The European Union (EU) is making a Euro 5.5-million humanitarian aid funding available to Nepal for this year as a part of its support to Nepal earthquake survivors.

According to the EU, the fund will be used for building shelters and disaster preparedness services in nine most earthquake-affected areas. With this, the EU’s post-earthquake aid to Nepal has reached Euro 19.5 million.

The European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides said that the aid was of a paramount importance as it would help build shelters for the affected population.

Likewise, it would help the country cope with natural hazards as well as be safe from such calamities in the future, a press statement issued by the EU Delegation in Nepal said.

Meanwhile, stating that people still live in the poorly built houses across the country, the EU raised concerns over the lack of proper housing for people to stay safe.

The fund would be channelled through its Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO), the statement added.

The support would allow its partner organisations to build temporary shelters that would be resilient to disasters such as the devastating earthquake of April 25 last year.

According to the statement, masons and carpenters would be trained to build such structures to ensure resilience without distorting their cultural values.