Chennai, India, August 6, 2007— International aid agency World Vision has joined with the governments of Bangladesh and India to provide assistance to some of the 30 million victims of severe flooding in South Asia. Together they distributed food and relief supplies over the weekend to families who have been driven from their homes, many of whom have been forced to take shelter in schools or face sleeping outside.

Each of the 2,600 families assisted in Bangladesh received two relief packages. Included in the packages are lentils, vegetable oil, salt, rice, candles, matches and soap. World Vision has also hired local motorboats to rescue marooned and flood-affected people trapped in low-lying areas. Experts believe that monsoon rains will revive this week, making this a crucial time to get supplies to victims while they can be reached.

In India, 12 million people have been affected in the Bihar and Uttar Pradesh states alone, with over 30,000 houses destroyed. "We are planning to provide immediate food to about 5,000 families: 3,000 in Bihar and 2,000 in Uttar Pradesh," said Franklin Joseph, World Vision's director of emergency relief and disaster mitigation in India. "Kitchen utensils and clothes will be distributed immediately as well," Joseph said.

World Vision is currently conducting rapid assessments in the region, as well as formulating a course of action for long-term recovery. "Most of the houses collapsed," Joseph said. "They had thatched roofs. We can provide housing materials and roofing materials. We can give bricks and cement."

The states hit by the monsoon are already the poorest in northern India and their crops, as well as those in Bangladesh, have now been ruined. Air forces are dropping food and have put some of the rescued into police camps, but millions remain displaced. "It's very difficult to reach the isolated communities because of flooding," Joseph said.

Staff members on the ground continue to work alongside the government, completing assessments and monitoring the situation in other areas. World Vision donors in the United States sponsor more than 30,000 children in Bangladesh, where World Vision has been working since 1970. World Vision has a national office in India and operates programs providing school supplies and educational facilities, construction of wells to reduce waterborne diseases, and agricultural training for farmers.

World Vision relief staff are available for interviews. Please contact Casey Calamusa at 206.310.5476 or ccalamus@worldvision.org or Brian Peterson at 407.491.2399 or bpeterso@worldvision.org.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Visit www.worldvision.org/press.