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India flood evacuations continue
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by Sanjay Jha | August 29, 2008 at 01:24 am
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The conditions of the flood victims in eastern Indian state of Bihar have become worse. Fresh torrential rain have made rescue efforts difficult. United Nations have today stepped in and said that it has rushed its agencies to aid the government and independent bodies working to provide relief to the victims of floods due to river Kosi on both Indian and Nepalese sides, where over one million people have been displaced from their homes.
The floods resulting from river Kosi breaching the eastern embankment, have engulfed hundreds of villages and destroyed more than 200,000 homes, the world body said, adding, the displaced will not be able to return until the embankment is repaired.
Floods in this poor Indian state are common and every year during rainy season between June and October many parts are submerged in knee deep water. Kosi river is branded as river of sorrow for the people of this eastern Indian state. The river orginally emanate from neighbouring Himlayan Kingdon of Nepal has been a curse for long time and even some dam have failed to check the fury of the river.
This time river changed its tack and gripped new areas of eastern Bihar leaving people completly unprepared. Kosi rive rhas gone 120 kilomter eastwards from its normal route. Flood has affected more than 7 districts and affected 4 millions residents. There has not been any permanent solution of this problem due to corruption and scams in taming the river.
In the northern Indian state of Bihar, thousands more people are evacuate to higher grounds to escape the rising flood waters.
Angry villagers in the worst-affected district, Madhepura, said they had no idea where to take shelter.
At least 55 people have died and 2.5m are displaced after the Kosi river breached its banks, changing course.
On Thursday Indian PM Manmohan Singh visited the affected areas. He said the flood was a "national calamity".
The prime minister has announced an aid package worth $230m.
But aid agencies say many of the victims are being moved to temporary shelters which lack basic amenities and are at risk from disease.
'Under water'
Mohanlal Sharma of the BBC's Hindi service in Madhepura says the road between Madhepura and Purnea districts is under 10 feet of water.
"Along the route, I saw thousands of villagers running towards the town. Some were on foot, some on their bicycles. Some were taking their cattle. Villagers have loaded their entire life's acquisitions on ox-carts and trying to escape the waters."
Our correspondent says people have taken shelter at the railway stations and higher stretches along some of the roads.
Many angry villagers complained they had received no food or aid and did not know where they could take shelter.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 05:00 on August 29th, 2008
© ACTED 2008 - Please find more information on ACTED's intervention in the State of Bihar following the floodings on our website http://www.acted.org
ONG ACTED has contributed a photo to this story.
at 20:20 on August 29th, 2008
About 400 meters stretch of embankment has collapsed on 2 August 2008 on the south-west coast of Mousuni Island (Sundarbans,India). Flooding has affected several households and almost 26 hectares of agricultural land has been inundated which may not be cultivable for next couple of crop seasons due to high salinity. This particular area of Mousuni Island is highly vulnerable due to frequent flooding and has already lost four embankments in the last two decades.
About Mousuni Island:
Mousuni is one of the twelve southernmost islands in the Indian Sundarbans region, which is highly vulnerable due to extreme climatic events like cyclone, storm and tidal surge. Total land area of this island is 24 square kilometres which supports a population of 20,000. In the recent years this island has been facing acute problem of accelerated coast line erosion as well as periodic flooding of homestead and productive agricultural lands due to breach of embankments in many parts of this island. Almost 85 percent of the land is under cultivation and periodic flooding of homestead and productive agricultural lands has a major impact on the livelihoods of the community. Consequences of climate change impacts are visible through significant changes in cropping pattern.
IAMSUBHRO has contributed a photo to this story.