October 16 (SeeNews) - The World Bank said on Tuesday it has granted $6.0 million (4.2 million euro) to help Moldova overcome the consequences of the severe drought that hit the country this year.
"The funds will be provided by the end of this year. The bank is in talks with the Moldovan government now on how these funds will be divided," Slavian Gutu, spokesman of the World Bank office in Moldova, told SeeNews.
Last month the World Bank said it was ready to provide around $8 to $10 million in financial assistance to Moldova’s drought victims, mainly in rural areas. This summer was the hottest ever recorded in Moldova with air temperatures reaching 41 degrees Celsius in July.
Some 84% of Moldova's agricultural land has been affected by this year's drought. Losses from damaged cereal crops alone are estimated at nearly 300 million euro. Worst hit by the drought were households in the rural areas, for which agriculture is the main means of living.
($=0.7055 euro)