Delhi, India (Oct. 7, 2009) - Heavy rains due to a depression in the Bay of Bengal and low pressure from the Arabian Sea have caused flash floods in north Karnataka and the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, flooding hundreds of villages and leaving homes completely submerged. Government authorities in India have mounted a massive evacuation of families fleeing the flood-affected area. More than 260 people have died and two million have been affected.
CARE's emergency response team has already reached Andhra Pradesh and a rapid assessment of the situation has been done. We are in the process of providing emergency kits and safe drinking water to more than 30,000 people affected by the floods in the state.
CARE is also coordinating with aid agencies and the government authorities in the state for relief efforts.
"Clean drinking water and sanitation is most important right now. We propose to work closely with the government to support their efforts," said R N Mohanty, Chief Operating Officer of CARE India. "Working with local partners CARE India is mobilizing teams to provide safe drinking water and sanitary kits to people in the government camps."
Boats are being used to deliver aid, as roads and railways have been damaged and submerged. The onset of winter has increased the suffering of the survivors, particularly children, pregnant women and the elderly. Those displaced by the flooding are not expected to be able to return to their homes until the floodwaters recede, which could take weeks or months.
Coordinating closely with local authorities and partners, CARE will continue to scale up its emergency response and meet the needs of the affected people in the area.
About CARE: CARE is one of the world's largest aid agencies, working in 70 countries to fight poverty and helping more than 55 million people every year. CARE has been operating in India since 1950. CARE India's ongoing programs include maternal and child health, nutrition, micro¬finance, education, economic empowerment and emergency response.
Media Contact:
Nalini Paul (Delhi): +91 9873549745, npaul@careindia.org
Melanie Brooks (Geneva): +41 79 590 30 47 brooks@careinternational.org
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
People walk beside a damaged paddy field in the flood-affected area of Bannur village, about 300 km (186 miles) from the southern Indian city of Hyderabad October 7, 2009. The floods ...
