Jakarta. The European Union (EU) recently announced 200,000 euros (around $224,500) in aid for Indonesian communities affected by drought as the country grappled with hotter dry seasons.

The assistance will benefit around 200,000 people across the most affected regions. Part of the money will go into making sure that households have reliable access to safe water. The EU will support the Indonesian Red Cross Society to distribute the water via water tankers and pick-up vehicles. It will also bankroll efforts for safe water collection and storage. 

Southeast Asia’s biggest economy is also witnessing severe forest fires that have smothered the region with hazardous smog. The regional grouping will also help Indonesians to protect themselves against the haze.

“In locations experiencing poor air quality, medical masks will be distributed, as well as oxygen concentrators to selected health facilities,” the EU press statement reads.

The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). This pool of money aims to bankroll early action in small and medium-sized disasters.

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