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FROM THE FIELD

Millions affected, thousands homeless in South India floods
06 Oct 2009 10:41:00 GMT
 Source: ActionAid International- India
Parvinder/ActionAid

Website: Website: http://www.actionaid.org/india

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Relief workers are overwhelmed with the scale of destruction in Andhra and Karnataka as very little government aid is reaching the affected families.
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Relief workers are overwhelmed with the scale of destruction in Andhra and Karnataka as very little government aid is reaching the affected families.
ActionAid

Background

•  Food and hunger

•  South East Asia Monsoon

•  Floods

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Millions in India's southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are reeling under the impact of incessant rains that has claimed hundreds of lives and left several thousand homeless.

While Andhra Pradesh continues being lashed by rains, in Karnataka the water is receding revealing the true extent of damage. The Chief Minister of the former has called upon the national government to declare the flood in the state a national calamity. The official death toll in the latter has scaled up to 176.

Reports from ActionAid partners in both the states indicate massive damage to roads and infrastructure. Homes of poor communities have been washed away and the scale of relief is inadequate compared to the scale of devastation.

Massive damage

In Andhra Pradesh, close to two million people have been affected in 475 villages and over 33 people have been reported dead as per the government figures. Close to 50,000 homes have been destroyed forcing two hundred thousand people into relief shelters.

In Karnataka, the districts of Bijapur, Bagalkote, Raichur, Koppal and Gulbarga are the worst affected. In Bijapur alone 10,000 people have been left homeless.

Gearing up for response

ActionAid, through its partners and networks, is responding to the situation in both the states.

"In Andhra we are focusing on reaching out to 15,000 families in 70 villages of Kurnool, Mahaboodnagar and Krishna districts," said Raghu P, ActionAid regional manager in the state.

"We have responded swiftly and 200 families were rescued in Nahdavaram of Kurnool. They were given emergency food as they were without food for several hours," said Rajashekhar, Programme Officer for ActionAid, who is on the ground.

So far 4,000 packets of food, 1000 kg of rice and 25,000 pouches of drinking water have been provided. But volunteers have informed that relief is needed urgently at a much larger scale.

Urban poor hit hard

In Karnataka, rescue teams assessed damage in seven cities and have started providing immediate relief.

"Hundreds of house in slums have collapsed and urban poor have lost what little they have. Water and food is scarce," said Kshithij Urs, ActionAid regional manager in Bangalore.

"In Hospet area, 55 slum dwellings have collapsed. The state administration has only offered Rs. 3000 to some of the families. The urban poor need to work each day to get food to eat," he added.

More relief needed soon

Partners and community networks on the ground are overwhelmed with the scale of destruction in the two states and are reporting that very little government aid is reaching the affected families.

ActionAid has issued an amount of two million with immediate affect and has called for more financial aid. The destruction has hit the poorest and will need a long-term engagement.

Immediate needs are rescuing families, providing food, drinking water, medicines, sheets for shelters, family kits with torches.


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

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

Background information

Topics
Floods Food and hunger Refugees & displacement Working in Relief
Facts & figures
India

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