Monsoon Floods in East India

In the north-eastern state of Assam an estimated 200,000 people have been affected by floods since 21 June, according to a release issued by the state government. The rain-fed Brahmaputra and its tributaries have also inundated low-lying areas, resulting in damage to crops. The Central Water Commission reported that the Brahmaputra was flowing above the danger mark in Dibrugarh, Dhubri and Neamatighat.

Dhemaji is the worst hit with the water level of all the rivers and tributaries in the district rising and a total of 64 villages inundated. Rail and road communications have also been broken in the district. Flood waters have also entered Kamrup district disrupting road communication in Ransiya subdivision.

In Sonitpur and Darrang districts floodwater inundated National Highway 51. The situation is also critical in the districts of Nalbari, Barpeta, Goalpara, Dhubri, Golaghat, Dibrugarh and Jorhat, where floodwater has inundated several villages and vast areas of agricultural fields have been flooded causing damage to crops and loss of livestock.

Deputy commissioners are monitoring the flood situation in their districts and relief camps have been set up for the displaced in some of the districts.

Bihar - the present floods coming from the Southern Ganges have affected three districts - Patna , Nalanda and Nawada. The river Bagmati has affected Muzarfarpur and Sitamari districts and the river Punpun affected Patna district as it is in a low lying area. Although the present situation is not yet seen as alarming, some 250,000 people have already been affected in Bihar alone with several thousand forced to flee to safety.

 The authorities in West Bengal reported that 2 districts - Cooch Bihar and Jalpaiguri have been badly affected. Action committees known as " WILL" have been formed at the local level.

Food packets and other relief materials have been rushed to the flood-hit areas. Medical workers have been sent to the area and arrangements are being made to move people to relief camps. The public infrastructure damaged so far has been restored by the state administration with external assistance.

ACT members Churches Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) and the Lutheran World Service, India ( LWSI) have staff present in the flood hit areas and are monitoring the situation.

The affected people belong to all sections of society including urban and rural artisans, non-skilled workers, small and marginal farmers, landless labourers etc. Villages and Community leaders are helping to organise the survey and identification of the beneficiaries along with the partner NGO’s, local church leaders and Government authorities.

CASA plans to assist 5,000 families who have lost most of their belongings and are now living in the relief camps. They are in desperate need of food, clothes, domestic kitchen utensils and blankets.

CASA proposes distributing 3,000 sets of relief material and a similar quantity of dry ration kits in Dhemaji district and 2,000 sets of relief material and 2,000 dry ration kits in Sonitpur district. Each set of relief material will contain one article each of men’s and women’s attire, one woollen blanket and a set of aluminium utensils. The dry ration kit will consist of 10 kgs rice, 2 kgs lentils and 1 kg salt. The total cost of the programme will be around US$ 65,813 and should be completed by 30 July.

Staff of ACT member LWSI, located in the far west of Assam are collecting further information from local officials about the extent of needs. LWSI is also in contact with various NGOs in Bihar with whom they have co-operated during previous floods.

Both partners will continue to monitor the situation and remain in contact with each other and the ACT CO. A further deterioration of the situation might result in an ACT Appeal.