PHNOM PENH, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) is providing 400,000 euros (471,000 U.S. dollars) to assist flood-hit families in Cambodia, said its press release on Wednesday.

The aid will focus on addressing the urgent needs of the most affected people in the worst hit provinces in the country's northwest, the press release said.

"This contribution underlines our solidarity with the people of Cambodia, many of whom have suffered the loss of homes, livelihoods and belongings in the wake of the devastating floods," Olivier Brouant, who oversees the EU's humanitarian response in the Mekong region, said in the press release.

"The EU funding will support our humanitarian partners in delivering life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable, ensuring they have enough means to go through this difficult time," he added.

The funding will support Save the Children and World Vision in delivering much-needed assistance to those most in need, he said, adding that this includes the distribution of clean water, hygiene kits and other essential relief items, while ensuring access to sanitation facilities and good hygiene practices.

Cash transfers will also be provided, allowing people to buy food or items of their choice, he added.

Seak Vichet, a spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), said on Wednesday that seasonal rains, exacerbated by tropical storms, have caused floods in 19 of the kingdom's 25 cities and provinces since the beginning of the month.

"The floods have killed 44 people and forced the evacuations of 47,584 others so far," he told Xinhua, adding that nearly 600,000 others have also been affected.

Besides, the floodwaters have inundated 134,003 houses and 381,990 hectares of rice and other crops, the spokesman said, adding that a number of public facilities and services, including health care centers, schools and extensive stretches of roads, have also sustained damage.

Floods usually hit Cambodia between August and October. Last year, Mekong River and flash floods claimed 30 lives, as storms killed eight people and injured 131 others, according to the NCDM.