Flood relief and clean-up aid from abroad continues to arrive
Ljubljana, 9 August - Flood relief and clean-up equipment and crews continue to arrive to Slovenia from abroad, in particular helicopters and heavy machinery. Aid from Spain and Germany arrived on Tuesday, while French and US assistance came today. Additional help from Slovakia is also on its way.
Slovenia
Slovakia sending four excavators to Slovenia to help in flood relief.
Photo: Slovak PM Ludovit Odor on social networks
Brnik
The first German heavy-lift cargo helicopter lands at Ljubljana airport to take part in the flood relief effort.
Photo: Slovenian Armed Forces
Brnik
The Spanish heavy-lift cargo helicopter Chinook lands at Ljubljana airport to take part in the flood relief effort.
Photo: Slovenian Armed Forces
Many countries have offered aid to Slovenia following the devastating floods last weekend, including Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Germany, Montenegro, Serbia, Greece, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Poland, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, France, Spain, Luxembourg, Portugal, the Netherlands, Israel, Great Britain, Malta, the US and Armenia.
Countries are responding in bilateral fashion, as well via various joint assistance mechanism, such as the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism and its Emergency Response Coordination Centre, or NATO's Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre.
Proving very valuable is helicopter assistance, which has for instance come from Croatia, Spain and Germany.
Relief units were moreover joined today by a 14-member team from France, including with two 15-tonne excavators and technical support.
Slovakia also announced it was sending four tracked excavators with six operators to Slovenia. Teams from the US European Command and the US Agency for International Aid are on the ground as well.
As the aid mechanisms were launched, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon expressed gratitude on behalf of the government and the people of Slovenia to everybody deciding to provide assistance.
She also asked for additional EU assistance in the form of heavy machinery, river cleaning vehicles and prefabricated bridges. As for NATO, Fajon requested heavy military helicopters, personnel and prefabricated military bridges, the Government Communication Office said.