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Kanti Devi, with two of her children, standing in the floodwater.
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August 22, 2007
Plan is expanding its emergency relief work to help thousands of children in north India who are being forced to flee their homes for a second time as rain returns to flood-hit areas.
Millions of people in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have spent weeks in makeshift tents and other temporary accommodations and are at increasing risk of life threatening disease.
Donate today to Plan's Disaster Relief and Recovery fund to help provide immediate relief and longer-term assistance to children and families affected by disasters.
Flood water in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar had dropped up to six feet after a break in the annual monsoon. But rains have again begun to fall, re-flooding homes and hampering relief efforts.
Pan has already set up health camps and distributed medicine and water purification tablets to over 5,000 households in Muzaffarpur. Plan will now provide help to 20,000 more families in neighboring communities.
Rising water levels
Kanti Devi, a resident of Sikanderpur slum in Muzaffarpur, said: "The first time the flood water came in to my house it stayed for eight days. The water came back yesterday; almost 100 houses are flooded again here. The water took about five days to recede and then came back suddenly with the rain. My children and I managed by staying on our bedstead.
“Today we are moving to another place. All of us having to move out are seeking refuge in the stadium or on people’s front porches. Everybody is nervous and scared. The children are frightened of snakes and leeches brought by the flood.”
Kanti has three children; one girl aged 10 and two boys aged 14 and 15. She is concerned they will fall ill. "So far none of my family has fallen ill but children as young as six months are suffering from fever and diarrhoea."
Plan, a leading children’s NGO, has set up a medical camp to help children in the slum. Doctors there report suspected malaria cases have increased 30-fold since the start of the floods. Children are also at risk of diarrhea, skin disease and cholera.
About 28 million people in India, Nepal and Bangladesh have been hit by the floods, which have been caused by heavier than usual monsoon rains. Villages in the Muzaffarpur region were cut-off for more than two weeks as a result of the floods and will face another period of isolation if rain continues. The forecast for the next five days is for heavy showers.
Manish Mehta, Plan Asia regional humanitarian coordinator, said: “If it continues raining we will be running into danger. There aren’t enough boats to transport medical supplies quickly over flooded areas.
“If we cannot get chlorine tablets to people they will start drinking contaminated water and the health situation will deteriorate further. It would be a nightmare.”
Bihar is the Indian state worst hit by the floods. Officials estimate at least 300 people have died. The final death toll is not likely to be known until waters recede. About half of Muzaffarpur’s 1.2 million people have been affected.
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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Millions of people in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have spent weeks in makeshift tents and other temporary accommodations and are at increasing risk of life threatening disease.
Donate today to Plan's Disaster Relief and Recovery fund to help provide immediate relief and longer-term assistance to children and families affected by disasters.
Flood water in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar had dropped up to six feet after a break in the annual monsoon. But rains have again begun to fall, re-flooding homes and hampering relief efforts.
Pan has already set up health camps and distributed medicine and water purification tablets to over 5,000 households in Muzaffarpur. Plan will now provide help to 20,000 more families in neighboring communities.
Rising water levels
Kanti Devi, a resident of Sikanderpur slum in Muzaffarpur, said: "The first time the flood water came in to my house it stayed for eight days. The water came back yesterday; almost 100 houses are flooded again here. The water took about five days to recede and then came back suddenly with the rain. My children and I managed by staying on our bedstead.
“Today we are moving to another place. All of us having to move out are seeking refuge in the stadium or on people’s front porches. Everybody is nervous and scared. The children are frightened of snakes and leeches brought by the flood.”
Kanti has three children; one girl aged 10 and two boys aged 14 and 15. She is concerned they will fall ill. "So far none of my family has fallen ill but children as young as six months are suffering from fever and diarrhoea."
Plan, a leading children’s NGO, has set up a medical camp to help children in the slum. Doctors there report suspected malaria cases have increased 30-fold since the start of the floods. Children are also at risk of diarrhea, skin disease and cholera.
About 28 million people in India, Nepal and Bangladesh have been hit by the floods, which have been caused by heavier than usual monsoon rains. Villages in the Muzaffarpur region were cut-off for more than two weeks as a result of the floods and will face another period of isolation if rain continues. The forecast for the next five days is for heavy showers.
Manish Mehta, Plan Asia regional humanitarian coordinator, said: “If it continues raining we will be running into danger. There aren’t enough boats to transport medical supplies quickly over flooded areas.
“If we cannot get chlorine tablets to people they will start drinking contaminated water and the health situation will deteriorate further. It would be a nightmare.”
Bihar is the Indian state worst hit by the floods. Officials estimate at least 300 people have died. The final death toll is not likely to be known until waters recede. About half of Muzaffarpur’s 1.2 million people have been affected.
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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