Rapid Response Payment No. 20/2006

Funds Sent To: Lutheran World Service, India

Amount Sent: US$ 25,853

Date: 12 October 2006

Details of Payment

Emergency: Cyclone - West Bengal

Date of Emergency: 20 September 2006 2006

Implementing Partner: LUTHERAN WORLD SERVICE, INDIA (LWSI)

Details of the emergency: At least 17 people were killed and over 300 people were injured in a severe cyclonic storm that lashed West Bengal's South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts on 19 - 20 September. The Sunderbans in South 24 Parganas district bore the brunt of the storm with 10 blocks seriously affected. Mathurapur, Patharpratima, Raidighi, Basanti, Joynagar, Kultali, Mograhat, Namkhana, Kakdwip and Canning in the Sunderbans, covering over 500 sq km, were ravaged.

Around 25,000 mostly earthen houses were flattened and 100,000 people were rendered homeless in about 500 villages. Roofs were blown away, trees uprooted and road communications disrupted. Schools, colleges and markets in most places were closed. There was no electricity in large part of the district as electric poles were toppled by the storm. Many fishing trawlers were reported missing in the high seas.

The State Government sanctioned Rs.45,000,000 for distribution of relief.

Kolkata also experienced 48 hours of heavy rain which resulted in flood waters knee to waist high in the streets. More than half of the LWSI Kolkata staff could not attend the office. In many areas of Greater Kolkata, the electric supplies and phone lines were affected.

The Government provided some plastic sheeting to use as roofing to the flood affected households and pressed rice and molasses as dry rations.

LWSI/ACT has its field operational units in South 24-Parganas and East-Midnapore and received calls for immediate relief assistance from local NGOs. LWSI responded immediately with 1,000 cartons of BP-5 compact foods (Emergency Rations) received from NCA and distributed through the LWSI Rural Development Project in Mathurapur - I and Mathurapur - II blocks of South 24-Parganas district.

During the Inter Agency Group meeting held on 27 September in UNICEF Kolkata office, the urgent need for food, clothing and roofing materials for affected families living in remote villages of Sunderbans was re-emphasised and where communication systems are yet to be restored.

Since LWSI Rural Development Operational communities were very badly effected, LWSI has provided emergency relief to 800 of the most vulnerable families in the South 24-Parganas district of West Bengal.

So far the following relief supplies are been utilised under a rapid relief initiative of ACT/LWS India.

TOTAL BUDGET: USD 25,853

(FOR THE DETAILED BUDGET, KINDLY VISIT THE ACT SITE. THANK YOU.)

ACTION The ACT Co-ordinating Office has approved the use of US$ 25,853 towards the budget from its Rapid Response Fund.

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ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.

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