20 October 2009
Emergency aid for thousands of families devastated by record-breaking flooding in India is being organised by a Tearfund partner.
Nearly 300 people died in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka after the worst floods in years following heavy rain.
Livestock and crops have been lost as well as numerous homes destroyed, leaving more than 200,000 people homeless and vulnerable to hunger and disease.
Sajeev Bhanja, from Tearfund partner Eficor, said, ‘The two southern states are now battling the fury of the worst flood in 100 years.’
Hampered
It’s a battle that’s being fought against a backdrop of limited international coverage of the floods which has hampered fundraising and donations for relief efforts.
Eficor is organising aid for 10,000 families in two districts of Andhra Pradesh after a state of emergency was declared.
Food, such as rice, pulses and potatoes, is being backed up with non-food items, including cooking utensils, blankets and bedding.
These supplies will help people get by for at least three weeks as the long slow process of rebuilding homes and livelihoods gets underway.
The targeted communities are mostly rural, poor and marginalised people from low castes.
Submerged
Our partner’s efforts are being supplemented by local churches which are providing practical help where they can as well as making volunteers available.
Across the two states, power stations, roads, rail lines, schools, hospitals and thousands of villages have been submerged.
Andhra Pradesh, which has a population of 76 million, currently has more than 220 relief camps with people afffected by the floods.
Eficor has more than 40 years of disaster response experience, dealing with floods, cyclones, earthquakes and droughts.