Flooding in South Asia strands millions
Boys in India make their way across the flood waters. Photo courtesy of BBC.
August 5, 2007
Torrential Monsoon rains over the last several days have created horrific flooding in areas of Bangladesh, India and Nepal, leaving millions of children and families stranded.
To date, flooding has affected over 30 districts in the north and central areas of Bangladesh, with the situation worsening as the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and Meghna rivers continue to rise. Additional areas in the Darbhanga district of India have also been severely affected. In Nepal, almost half of the country is affected.
Donate today to Plan's Disaster Relief and Recovery fund to provide immediate relief and longer-term assistance to children, families and communities affected by disasters.
A Special Note for Child Sponsors: No reports of deaths relating to sponsored children have been made at this time. Please stay in touch for further updates. Should we receive information specific to your sponsored child, we will be in touch with you.
Water levels are continuing to rise with increasing intensity so much so that thousands of communities are submerged in the high waters. As opposed to monsoon flooding in recent years, where flood waters have had a current, this year the waters have largely been stationary. This has given rise to concern that many more houses – especially those of adobe construction – may collapse in the coming days.
The number of deaths is rising daily and the scale of the emergency is making it difficult to get accurate figures. To date, almost 200 deaths have been reported, but the final figure is likely to be much higher since more than 10 million people have been reported as living in the affected areas.
An estimated 20 million people live in potentially affected areas. They are in urgent need of food, clean water, clothes, medicine, and carbolic acid (for snake bites).
While program delivery throughout the area has been hampered by the heavy rainfall, Plan offices in Bangladesh and Nepal are, so far, unaffected. Staff members in the area are in contact with each other and are monitoring the situation. Programs in north and north-eastern India have been suspended. Many communities are cut off and some submerged so access is difficult. As soon as we have properly evaluated the needs and can take action, Plan will do all we can to assist with relief efforts.
Please visit our Disaster Relief and Recovery Program page to learn more about how Plan responds swiftly to crisis situations.
Make a secure donation today to Plan's Disaster Relief and Recovery fund. Your support enables us to respond quickly and effectively to help children and families affected by disasters and crises. Thank you.
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To date, flooding has affected over 30 districts in the north and central areas of Bangladesh, with the situation worsening as the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and Meghna rivers continue to rise. Additional areas in the Darbhanga district of India have also been severely affected. In Nepal, almost half of the country is affected.
Donate today to Plan's Disaster Relief and Recovery fund to provide immediate relief and longer-term assistance to children, families and communities affected by disasters.
A Special Note for Child Sponsors: No reports of deaths relating to sponsored children have been made at this time. Please stay in touch for further updates. Should we receive information specific to your sponsored child, we will be in touch with you.
Water levels are continuing to rise with increasing intensity so much so that thousands of communities are submerged in the high waters. As opposed to monsoon flooding in recent years, where flood waters have had a current, this year the waters have largely been stationary. This has given rise to concern that many more houses – especially those of adobe construction – may collapse in the coming days.
The number of deaths is rising daily and the scale of the emergency is making it difficult to get accurate figures. To date, almost 200 deaths have been reported, but the final figure is likely to be much higher since more than 10 million people have been reported as living in the affected areas.
An estimated 20 million people live in potentially affected areas. They are in urgent need of food, clean water, clothes, medicine, and carbolic acid (for snake bites).
While program delivery throughout the area has been hampered by the heavy rainfall, Plan offices in Bangladesh and Nepal are, so far, unaffected. Staff members in the area are in contact with each other and are monitoring the situation. Programs in north and north-eastern India have been suspended. Many communities are cut off and some submerged so access is difficult. As soon as we have properly evaluated the needs and can take action, Plan will do all we can to assist with relief efforts.
Please visit our Disaster Relief and Recovery Program page to learn more about how Plan responds swiftly to crisis situations.
Make a secure donation today to Plan's Disaster Relief and Recovery fund. Your support enables us to respond quickly and effectively to help children and families affected by disasters and crises. Thank you.
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