Rapid Response Payment Request No. 33b/2008
Funds sent to: Church's Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA)
Amount sent: US$ 19,990
Date: 05 December 2008
(Please note this is additional to the previous RRF payments issued for this emergency for LWSI and UELCI on 03 December, hence number 33b.)
Details of Response
EMERGENCY: Cyclone Nisha- Tamil Nadu Floods
DATE OF EMERGENCY: from 26th November 2008
IMPLEMENTING MEMBER: Church's Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA)
The programme will be implemented directly by CASA and in collaboration with local partners.
The names of the partners are mentioned below:
• Arcot Lutheran Church (ALC), Cuddalore - Tamil Nadu
• Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC), Trichy - Tamil Nadu
• Church of South India (CSI), Trichy - Tanjore Diocese, Tamil Nadu
DETAILS OF THE EMERGENCY:
The state of Tamil Nadu was hit by cyclonic storm 'NISHA' in South India, since the 26th of November 2008. Under its influence, heavy rains lashed coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, taking the death toll above 120. More than 50,000 hectares of crops in the Cauvery delta districts were submerged and 64,000 hectares officially declared flood-hit. The districts affected by heavy rains causing flash floods are Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Thiruvarur, Ramananthapuram, Puducherry, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Trichirapalli and Tanjore. Several places recorded extremely heavy rainfall that even touched 330 mm. Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts are among the worst affected.
Normal life was thrown out of gear in Chennai as heavy rains lashed the city. Most of the roads were under knee-deep water and people in low lying areas moved to safer places, where the Chennai Corporation provided them food. Schools and colleges remained closed for the last couple of days. Heavy winds uprooted about 60 huge trees, smashing several cars.
There has been large scale destruction of life & property in many parts of the state and many of the deaths have been reported due to electrocution and house collapses. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during next 24 hours.
More rains are predicted for Thursday in most places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep.
Impact:
Heavy rains under the influence of the cyclone has caused flash floods in a number of places along the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu. More than 120 people have been reported dead over the last few days. The districts affected by heavy rains are Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Thiruvarur, Ramananthapuram, Puducherry, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Trichirapalli and Tanjore.
More than 50,000 hectares of crops in the Cauvery delta districts were submerged and 64,000 hectares officially declared flood-hit. According to newspaper reports, about 100 boats have been damages, and more than 500 houses have been damaged.
A number of deaths have been reported due to electrocution and house collapses from different parts of coastal districts in Tamil Nadu. In Rameshwaram, 10 fishermen were reported missing and several fishing boats damaged.
Authorities have so far evacuated more than 42,000 people from coastal hamlets and low-lying areas in Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur and housed them in relief camps. Nagapattinam district, which has borne the brunt of several cyclones in the past, evacuated more than 24,000 people. District collector M Jayaraman said, "If the rains continue, we may have to evacuate more. The situation is grim, but under control."
Reports from Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam said that vast expanses of paddy fields were submerged in flood waters. In Tiruvarur alone, four lakh acres of crops were submerged. Most shops in Cuddalore, Rameswaram, Nagapattinam, Kodiakarai remained shut, it said.
According to official sources, the unseasonal rain has so far damaged over 10,500 km of state highways. Road and rail traffic has been badly affected in many places. Several bridges have collapsed and the Cauvery river broke banks at least three places. Submerged runway delayed more than 25 flights at the Chennai airport. Southern Railway cancelled two trains to Rameswaram from Chennai Egmore because of cyclonic weather.
Key problems and issues:
Immediate food Need:
There is acute need for cooked food for the affected families, who are staying in relief camps. Their houses have been inundated with water and some of the houses have even been completely damaged living these people completely dependent on others for their sustenance.
PURPOSE OF RESPONSE:
To provide relief for 20,500 flood displaced families for 4 days through provision of cooked food.
BENEFICIARY INFORMATION AND GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF RESPONSE:
Priority will be given to the most vulnerable sections of the affected people such as the marginalised communities, excluded communities, widows, physically challenged, single women headed families and children.
Target locations: 106 villages in the flood affected districts of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Tranquebar, Mayiladuthurai and Chennai.
(For the detailed list, kindly visit the ACT site. Thank you.)
PROPOSED ASSISTANCE:
Objective
To provide cooked food to approximately 20,500 flood affected persons for 4 days.
Description of Assistance
Under this emergency relief intervention, it is proposed to provide cooked food for approximately 20,000 flood affected persons for 4 days in the districts of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Tranquebar, Mayiladuthurai and Chennai. One meal (i.e. Vegetable Rice / Sambar Rice / Tamarind Rice) per day will be provided to the affected people.
Implementation Methodology:
CASA has worked in the area of disaster management and response for the last 60 years. Our experiences of many relief programmes taken up in the past will form a platform of knowledge and experience for implementing the proposed programme. CASA will be the main implementing partner and will be directly responsible to the resource sharing partners in all respects. We will be doing the reporting on the progress of the programme. All finances will be received and accounted for by us.
The existing staff of CASA will be used for organising the various activities.
The CASA Delhi headquarter will coordinate the overall operation which includes expertise in disaster response, logistics and emergency communications.
The co-ordination at the state level is with the Zonal office of CASA in Chennai and sector offices in South India. Co-ordination, monitoring, consolidation of reports and accounting will be the main functions of these co-ordinating offices.
The Zonal office and sector offices of CASA has the requisite infrastructure and personnel for continuous monitoring of the programme at the field level which would be done on a regular basis through field visits, submission of reports, staff-partner meetings and interaction with beneficiaries.
CASA would ensure the active involvement and participation of the beneficiaries in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project activities. The programme will be constantly monitored for ensuring that it progresses along the planned framework, and also in order to fine-tune it as and when required, based on field responses.
Coordination
Government, Other NGOs
CASA head quarter will be in touch with resource partner. Contacts with the local Churches and our partner organisations in these states are already strong.
CASA will involve the Churches and the regional/local NGOs in co-ordinating the relief intervention. The purpose would be to make the effort more effective and to avoid any possible duplication of efforts in the areas of intervention. This programme will be conducted with the approval and co-operation of the State Governments and district officials.
CASA is maintaining regular contact with local administrations for proper coordination and effective implementation of the proposed programme. CASA is already participating and will continue to participate in coordination meetings called by the state/district administration in these states, and other networks.
Members of the target group will be involved in identification of families who will receive assistance and all efforts will be made to involve them in all facets of the programme intervention to promote transparency and ownership.
Linkages with development actors working within the project area pre-exist based on CASA's prior activities and NGO partnerships in these area. CASA will be working in coordination with other NGOs and will be networked with them for ensuring coordinated implementation of its programmes so as to complement and supplement those being implemented by other agencies. At the district, block and panchayat levels too, we are in constant touch with all three State Government authorities, local panchayat leaders and the NGOs.
CASA will be coordinating with ACT members LWSI and UELCI for which RRF funds have already been issued for this emergency, and which have also indicated the attention to submit an appeal application.
Planning Assumption, Constraints And Prioritisation:
CASA will make attempts to procure material locally or from nearby places to reduce the transportation cost & the risks of lootings & robbery.
IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD:
The total relief project duration will be 10 days from its inception and receipt of Rapid Response funds. Activities have already commenced.
BUDGET: US$ 19,990
(For the detailed budget, kindly visit the ACT site. Thank you.)
ACTION
The ACT Co-ordinating Office has approved the use of US$ 19,990 towards the budget from its Rapid Response Fund and would be grateful to receive contributions to wholly or partially replenish this payment. CASA is also requesting to be included in an ACT appeal for this emergency to be issued to incorporate this initial rapid response. This RRF payment will be considered as an advance towards the ACTappeal to be replenished from appeal funds raised. The CO expects appeal proposals from ACT members LWSI and UELCI also.
(ends)
ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide.
The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
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