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Severe Rains, Floods Threaten Millions of Children Across South Asia
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Families in Nepal taking refuge after flash flooding. |
Westport, CT (August 3, 2007) — Save the Children is moving quickly to assist tens of thousands of children and their families forced from their homes due to monsoon rains and severe flooding throughout South Asia including communities that Save the Children agencies serve in Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.
"The heavy rains and flooding are posing a serious threat to millions of children throughout South Asia," said Rudy Von Bernuth, who heads Save the Children's emergency response program.
"Many families are in desperate need of food, shelter, clean water and medical supplies, and the threat of even more rains is making the situation even worse," he said. "We are working closely with our partners to assist affected families across the region."
In Nepal, for example, heavy rains have caused flooding and landslides, destroying 15,000 homes and causing at least 56 deaths. Roads have closed, and communication lines are down throughout 28 of Nepal's 75 districts.
Save the Children is working with its alliance members and the Nepal Red Cross Society to arrange the immediate distribution of food and other basic necessities such as plastic sheeting, blankets, clothing, cooking materials and items for personal hygiene. Highly vulnerable groups including children and pregnant and lactating mothers are being prioritized for support.
In Bangladesh, heavy rains and monsoons have caused flash flooding in three districts of the country and threaten to inundate at least 15 additional districts, including low-lying areas of Dhaka city.
Four major rivers in the country continue to rise, two of which are flowing above danger levels. While the flooding situation could continue to worsen, nearly 800,000 people are already reportedly affected in flooded areas.
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Flooding in India |
Save the Children is working to provide safe drinking water for thousands of affected families. Additionally, the agency is coordinating with the Disaster Management Bureau, the World Food Program and other UN Agencies, and the Disaster Emergency Secretariat to coordinate response operations.
Pakistan has also been severely affected by flooding, caused by intense storms and a major cyclone last month. Overall, more than 2 million people have been affected, including 370,000 families forced from their homes and 500 missing or dead.
Save the Children is providing 12,000 families with food, shelter, kitchen equipment and soap, helping to rebuild schools and provide items like paper, slates, chalk, and toys.
In India, 10 states have been seriously affected by the recent monsoon, with 12.8 million people, including 5.1 million children, affected by flooding. Over 500,000 houses have been extensively or completely damaged with nearly 1 million people evacuated from their homes. Over 1,000 reportedly have died.
With its local partners, Save the Children is working to assist 3,000 families in West Bengal and Orissa, providing temporary shelter, clean water, clothes, health care and school supplies for children. In addition, the agency is actively seeking funding to provide clothing and educational materials to 8,000 children in need in Assam, India.
You can help Save the Children respond to emergencies that put at great risk the survival, protection, and well-being of significant numbers of children. By contributing to the Children's Emergency Fund, you enable us to respond immediately to children and families who urgently need our help when disasters strike.
Donate to the Children's Emergency Fund
