Aswan flood disaster: Concerted efforts by state, civil society to provide assistance

CAIRO – 16 November 2021: Concerted efforts are exerted by the Egyptian state in coordination with civil society to provide services and aid to affected areas in Aswan after a wave of bad weather hit hard the city.

Torrential rains and strong winds have hit several cities in Upper Egypt, with estimated 2,000 families affected in Aswan in addition to 106 rural houses collapsed and many crops were damaged, according to media reports.

With the losses concentrated in the center of the city, houses at this area were exposed to bulk of rainwater and heavily harmed as they are built from mud bricks and palm-leaf roofs.

For its part, the Ministry of Endowments announced the allocation of 10 million pounds from the ministry’s own resources, to rehabilitate the homes of those affected by the Aswan floods, within the framework of the Ministry of Endowments’ role in community service, and through coordination with the Aswan Governorate and the Ministry of Social Solidarity in listing the most affected and needy homeowners.

With amounts of rainwater were accumulated in the main streets, maintenance teams took to the streets to remove the pools of water to facilitate movement, in addition to repairing electricity networks and connections in the affected areas.   

Major General Ashraf Attia, Governor of Aswan, explained that the distribution process of aids will be the responsibility of the NGOs which will receive this aid and distribute it in all transparency and integrity.

Urgent subsidies of two thousand pounds will be dispersed to each family, in addition to 250 pounds for subsistence for each individual, in addition to the in-kind assistance of food and furnishings to alleviate the suffering of the affected.

The “Long Live Egypt” Fund said Tuesday it will be receiving donations to help residents harmed by a spell of bad weather that had hit Aswan into bank account No. 037037.

Executive director of the Fund Tamer Abdel Fattah, in a statement, said the money received into that account at all Egyptian banks should be allocated for relief and reconstruction efforts at times of catastrophes and crises.

The “Long Live Egypt” Fund has already sent a quick relief convoy to Aswan to distribute basic stuffs to the harmed residents in the Upper Egyptian city.