Worst floods in decades
The worst monsoon floods to hit India in
decades left millions stranded, hungry,
and susceptible to life-threatening
diseases. With massive destruction of
crops and many fields unfit for
cultivation, millions of farmers and
agricultural workers are still without
means to earn a living and are
struggling to rebuild their lives. In
some places new embankments constructed
for roads and railways are still
preventing water from draining away.
Over 59 million people were affected
during the flood season (June to
September). Nearly 3500 lives were lost
and many more people were rendered
homeless. Families lived under plastic
sheets as the gushing waters damaged or
destroyed nearly two million houses.
Villagers in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
Orissa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
Gujarat and Assam saw their grains,
clothes and meagre savings washed away.
Women and children and those less able
to compete for rations especially went
hungry. Orissa saw an outbreak of
cholera as an aftermath of floods.
Immediate relief
ActionAid emergency response teams
worked with community volunteers to
reach stranded people using boats,
motorbikes, bullock carts, cars and
buses. Field workers distributed dry
food including flattened rice, jaggery,
lentils and grains as well as plastic
sheets to build temporary shelters.
Mobile health camps were organised
benefiting thousands of villagers. Oral
rehydration solution packets and water
purification kits were provided, and
childbirth and sanitary kits given to
women.
Critical patients were taken to
hospitals and their medical treatment
sponsored.
In addition to ECHO funds, donations
from individual supporters in Europe and
India backed relief activities including
food, shelter and health care
particularly in Barabanki, Maharajganj
and Sidharth Nagar districts of Uttar
Pradesh and Muzafarpur and Samastipur
districts in Bihar.
In the driving seat
Community organisations are firmly in
the driving seat in designing,
implementing and monitoring the flood
response. In Nalbari district of Assam,
ActionAid is working with Gramya Vikash
Mancha (Village Development Forum). In
East Champaran district of Bihar,
ActionAid partner Samajik Shodh Evam
Vikas Kendra (Social Research and
Development Centre) has shifted
tirelessly from relief work to
rehabilitation.
Hamid Raza, an activist with SSEVK
recalls,
"When we
were going by boats to remote villages
at night, there were many poisonous
snakes the water and on occasions there
was a serious risk to our own lives. In
dark nights from villages surrounded by
water, we used to hear pathetic cries of
women and children. These motivated us
to keep going there despite all the
risks."
In Maharajganj and Siddharthnagar
districts of UP, ActionAid partner
Musahar Manch (Musahar Forum) and
Swabhimaan Samiti (Dignity Committee)
are active.
