People sit with their belongings in the flood-affected area of Sidragudda, near Bangalore. Photo: Reuters/stringer courtesy alertnet.org
7 October 2009
A major relief operation is underway in India after flooding killed more than 300 people and left vast areas under water.
Four days of torrential rain caused widespread floods in the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, with thousands of villages and towns suffering damage.
Rivers burst their banks and dams overflowed causing extensive destruction to property, infrastructure, crops and livestock.
Around 250,000 people are homeless and local officials fear the death toll could rise to 5,000.
The clear-up will take many months as more than 200,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed.
Tearfund partners EFICOR and the Emmanuel Hospital Association are assessing the damage and how they can respond, with teams being sent out to work with local churches on preparing emergency relief supplies.
Rescue operations
People wade through floodwaters in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Photo: Reuters/stringer courtesy alertnet.org
Food, clean water, medicines, clothing, bedding and temporary shelter are among the most pressing aid needs.
The Indian government is carrying out its own assessments and has deployed the army in Karnataka to undertake rescue operations.
Across both states some 1,000 relief camps have been set up to help those made homeless.
The flooding is reckoned to be the worst seen in southern India in several decades.
Tearfund’s Head of Asia region Sudarshan Sathianathan said, ‘Continuous rain has brought devastation to these two Indian states and left many thousands of people facing real hardship.
‘Tearfund is working with our partner and local churches to provide relief assistance as quickly as we can.’