Alert

India - No. 41/2008

Tamil Nadu floods

Geneva, 24 October 2008

Since October 15th 2008, there has been heavy rain across the state of Tamil Nadu, India. ACT member the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India (UELCI) reports that water levels in reservoirs are near to overflowing, roads are flooded, livestock killed and crops destroyed. As per the e-news of Hindu until now 398 houses have been damaged. A 25% rise in outpatient numbers is reported due to increasing incidence of influenza. At least nine lives have been lost. Schools are being closed as a state holiday has been declared in Chennai and also other districts if required.

The Tamil Nadu state government formed a monitoring committee on Wednesday October 22nd 2008 to identify flood-prone areas and to speed up relief work. Some compensation to families affected has been agreed. For house damage towards repair one family will receive rupees two thousand. 5 kg rice, 1 liter kerosene oil and cloths, in case of livestock the state would pay rupees 10,000/- per head of cattle and rupees 1000/- per goat. Food packets for rain affected people. No international agencies have responded to this emergency.

ACT Response:

United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India (UELCI) is currently assessing the situation with the staff of local Lutheran churches on the ground in order to target urgent relief assistance (food and non-food items) to approximately 3000 families in twenty five villages in Chennai, Cuddalore and Nagapatinum and Kanyakumari district. The ACT Coordinating Office has been informed that UELCI is likely to request Rapid Response Funding for up to US$ 60,000 within the next couple of days to support this response.

Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jessie Kgoroeadira, ACT Finance Officer (jkg@act-intl.org).

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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.