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WORLD UNDER WATER: Millions of children affected by global flooding

02 Aug 2007 09:00:00 GMT
Source: International Save the Children Alliance

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Aerial view of the outskirts of Raipur, India. An aerial view shows flooded fields after heavy monsoon rains on the outskirts of the central Indian city of Raipur, June 30, 2007. The onset of the rainy season has brought severe weather to much of South Asia, killing more than 500 people in storms and floods in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan over the past week. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan (Copyright: REUTERS/Desmond Boylan (INDIA), )
INDIA

Background

• S. Asia monsoon

• Sudan conflicts

• W. African food crisis

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Millions of children have had their lives turned upside down by flooding as torrential rain creates deluges in countries as far apart as Colombia, Sierra Leone, Indonesia and at home in the UK. Around the world, more than 137 million people are currently experiencing the effects of flooding.

China 119,000,000

Sudan 1,000,000
Indonesia 30,000

Colombia 55,000
Sierra Leone 4,250

UK 452,000

Pakistan            2,500,000
India                  13,700,000
Bangladesh     675,000
Nepal                235,000

Total 137,651,250

Save the Children UK's Director of Emergencies, Gareth Owen, said: "This is an emergency on a truly global scale and, as with any disaster, children are the hardest hit. Combating the massive scale of these floods is a real challenge for Save the Children and the international community and we must act now to help the most vulnerable."

Currently, the worst affected country is China where 119 million people have been affected by floods in several provinces this month. Hundreds have died and thousands of families have seen their homes washed away along with their harvest and possessions. Most people have no insurance.

In India the annual July monsoons have brought flooding in 10 states, where 13.7 million people have already been affected and continued heavy rains have raised concerns over a worsening situation. Over 1,000 people are confirmed dead and half a million homes have been damaged or destroyed.

Neighbouring Pakistan has also been subject to flooding during the monsoon season with upwards of 2.5 million people affected in 28 districts if Balochistan and Sindh provinces. Over 370,000 people have been left homeless and are residing in 149 relief camps in the area.

Bangladesh suffers annual floods with at least a fifth of the country submerged each year. This month 675,000 villagers have fled their homes and the situation could worsen with the country's central regions at risk of major flooding in the next two days. Hundreds of houses have been washed away and shelter and flood-affected people is yet to be provided.

A million people across ten states of Sudan have been forced to leave their homes by flooding since the start of July. Farming has been badly affected, with many grain stores being destroyed and animals killed.

Children living in slums in Sierra Leone have been left open to the risk of disease as filthy water littered with rubbish and human waste flooded their homes earlier this month. Around 850 families have been affected in the Kroo Bay area of Freetown.

In Indonesia torrential rains that began on the 22 July have resulted in floods and landslides in Central Sulawesi affecting 30,000 people and killing 80 people. Further flooding in North Sumatra has led to five deaths. Many homes have been lost and severe damage to the water system is causing health concerns.

In Colombia over 55,000 people have been affected by flooding in recent weeks, including at least 30,000 children. The numbers continue to rise. Over 50 schools have been closed, and there is an increase in disease and infection throughout the flood-stricken area.

The latest figures for flooding in the UK show that more than 450,000 people have been affected by flooding. Several lives have been lost and thousands of people are surviving on emergency water supplies.

Earlier this year Save the Children UK predicted that the consequences of climate change could mean that the lives of up to 175 million children a year will be endangered by floods, drought, earthquakes and tsunamis over the next decade - a potential increase of 40% on the previous decade. That is one of the reasons why Save the Children UK is calling for donors to support projects that help communities in flood-prone countries prepare for emergencies and reduce the risks associated with them.

Save the Children UK is currently responding to floods in Pakistan and India and Sierra Leone and is looking to scale up its operations in Colombia, Pakistan and Sudan. In China we are carrying out an assessment in Anhui, the worst affected province.

For more information, photographs or spokespeople please contact:
Please contact the Save the Children UK Media Unit on 0044 (0)20 7012 6844 or media@savethechildren.org.uk

[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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Last updated:Thu Aug 2 16:26:57 2007