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28 August 2002 By Jenny Iao, in Samastipur, Bihar Regions of eastern and north-eastern India are continuing to bear the brunt of this year's monsoon. Bihar is the hardest hit with floods driving upwards of 2 million people from their homes and thousands more forced to seek temporary shelters on roads and embankments while waiting to return to their homes. Although floodwaters have receded in around 60 per cent of affected areas, other areas including Khagaria district are still being flooded. The situation has worsened in several areas as the Gandak, Bagmati and Kosi rivers reached danger levels and pressure built up on their protective embankments. In Samastipur district where road communications were partly reopened to traffic, the impact of the flooding became more apparent as the floodwaters receded. Conditions for people surviving in temporary shelters became increasingly difficult in 20 days of flooding. "Our landowners' paddy fields were destroyed, so have our means of livelihood," complains Sitadevi, mother of two children as she sits with her one-year old crying and coughing in her arms. "My child has been sick for a week. But what can we do when we don't even have money for food. There's been no relief assistance except some chura (beaten rice) from the Red Cross. That is all we have for the day," she exclaims, showing a pot borrowed from her neighbour which she uses to collect the food ration for the whole family. Despite the receding water, it will be another 15 days before Sita's home dries up and she can begin the task of rebuilding her life again. The family hut lies in a village a few kilometres away from the embankment where she had been sheltering along with their animals. On 30 July, the Bagmati River broke its southern bank, inundating the area for miles around. The flash flood that struck certain parts of the district that night reached as high as five metres. "I don't recall such a bad flood in this district in my lifetime," says Dr. R. P. Mishra, Secretary of the Indian Red Cross Samastipur branch. "The devastation is unprecedented and people had no chance to prepare for it at all." More than 21 million people in Bihar, Assam and parts of Uttar Pradesh states have been affected by the floods. Local donations or small quantities of stock held in warehouses made it possible for the Indian Red Cross to provide food, clothes and shelter to flood victims. "This is only a fraction of what is needed and our resources are now exhausted," says Dr. Vimala Ramalingam, Secretary General of the Indian Red Cross. "We are targeting families living below the poverty line who have virtually nothing to survive on," he added. The International Federation launched an appeal for US$ 2 million earlier this month to support Indian Red Cross operations for the most vulnerable flood victims in the affected communities. The appeal will enable the Indian Red Cross to procure shelter material, basic food, cooking utensils, and water purification tablets. Related Links: India: Monsoon Floods Appeal Make an Online Donation More on: South Asia Floods |
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