Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee Secretariat maintains close liaison with relief organisations regarding Henan floods

     A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said today (July 29) that the Secretariat of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee has been maintaining close liaison with relief organisations regarding the flooding in Henan, and learned that several organisations are in active contact with the local authorities in the affected areas to keep abreast of the latest situation and rescue efforts in order to provide suitable relief support. Individual relief organisations expressed their intentions to apply for grants shortly from the Disaster Relief Fund. Upon receipt of the applications, the Advisory Committee will process them at once with a view to providing timely and suitable relief to the flood victims.

     The Disaster Relief Fund was established on December 1, 1993, in accordance with the Public Finance Ordinance. It provides an effective channel for the Government to respond swiftly to appeals for humanitarian aid in relief of disasters that occur outside Hong Kong. A maximum of $8 million can be disbursed from the Disaster Relief Fund for each individual grant application.