Over 10 million affected as Indian floods worsen
Save the Children increases its appeal to US$4 million after Orissa region is hit by flooding
Friday 26 September 2008
New regions in India have been severely affected by flooding, including Orissa in the east of the country. Over 10 million people, half of whom are children, have been directly affected by floods in Bihar and Orissa, two of the poorest states in India. That’s more than in the Pakistan earthquake of 2005. It's thought around 25 million people across India have been affected by flooding.
In Orissa, the Mahanadi River has breached its banks in 61 different places sweeping away villages and farmland. An estimated 1,500 roads have been cut off by flood waters making access to the affected areas very difficult, with some 600,000 people still stranded.
Following the widespread flooding in Bihar last month, Save the Children launched a $2million appeal for Bihar. Now this appeal is being increased to $4million to enable us to respond in Orissa. Millions of people have been evacuated from their homes and are currently living in cramped displacement camps, embankments or taking shelter by the roadside or on rooftops. Many have also stayed at home to care for their property and livestock or are marooned in their villages by flood waters.
“The international response to the flooding crisis in India has not been adequate” said Shireen Vakil Miller, Head of Policy and Advocacy for Save the Children in India. “Save the Children is calling on donors to step up their funding efforts. This is urgently required so that we can reach out immediate assistance to the most vulnerable families, providing basic life saving requirements such as food, shelter, clean water and healthcare."
“We are particularly concerned about the millions of children who have been affected by the floods,” said Thomas Chandy, CEO Save the Children, India. “In an emergency, children are always the most vulnerable. They have been left without shelter, clean water, food or medical care. Children’s health is suffering and there is a rise in violence, sexual exploitation and trafficking of Children as many of them have been separated from their families following the rapid onset of the floods.”
Save the Children is already responding to the flooding in Bihar, working in the relief camps and villages, providing basic supplies of food, water and shelter equipment. We've set up child friendly spaces where children have somewhere safe to play and are protected. We have also set up a family tracing project with various partners to reunite separated children with their families and loved ones. In Orissa, Save the Children hopes to reach 20,000 families and 60,000 children in the three worst affected districts of Cuttack, Puri and Kendrapada. The priority is to provide temporary shelter, drinking water, hygiene kits and child protection measures in relief camps.
Please make a donation to Save the Children’s India Floods Appeal.
