Cologne/Khagaria. Malteser International reinforces its relief programme for the victims of the flood catastrophe in southern Asia with a new project in Bihar, one of the most indigent and needy states in India. Together with its Indian partner organisation Unnati, Malteser International distributes food to 1,000 Dalit families in the district of Khagaria. "The floods caused by extraordinarily heavy rains have completely destroyed hundreds of villages. The inhabitants are now crouching on hills and embankments, in urgent need for help", Binoy Acharya, the director of Unnati, reports from the crisis region. "These people are still suffering since they are completely isolated and up to now they did not receive any help", Acharya continues. "We go to the most remote areas by boat and bring rice, oil and other foodstuff that is indispensable for survival."

In Bihar and the surrounding states, the water is still more than six feet high. "The floods literally took everything with them. The distress is enormous", Annette Wächter-Schneider, Senior Desk Officer India at Malteser International, points out. „Monsoon rains are something quite normal in this region. But even the eldest villagers can not remember a catastrophe of this extent."

The state of Bihar is situated in the north-east of India on the frontier with Nepal. It is considered as one of the slowest growing and therefore neediest states of the country. Around 31 percent of the population live under the poverty-line.

In addition to the flood relief in Bihar, Malteser International also supports the flood victims in the coastal area of Kollam in the Indian state of Kerala. "Heavy thunderstorms have hit that region. They ripped of a large part of the coast and thereby destroyed hundreds of houses", Annette Wächter-Schneider says. Together with an Indian partner organisation, Malteser International provides emergency relief and constructs temporary shelters for the affected population.

In Pakistan, Malteser International, with financial support of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, is distributing 1,000 survival kits with material for shelters and hygiene products. A Pakistani doctor and local health workers teach the population the most important hygiene measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Attention editorial offices! Annette Wächter-Schneider, Senior Desk Officer India at Malteser International, is available for interviews. Please contact: 0049 - 221 - 98 22 155.