Caritas Responds to Monsoon-Induced Flooding Throughout South Asia
Source: Caritas Internationalis
Sri Lanka --
Heavy monsoon rains provoked flooding and triggered landslides in southern, western, and central Sri Lanka this past weekend, killing at least 19 people and leaving tens of thousands of families homeless. The latest reports put the number of displaced at around 330,000. The districts of Katunayake and Gampaha were the hardest hit, while serious flooding was also reported in several low-lying areas in the districts of Colombo, Kandy, Kurunegala, Kalutara, Matara, Badulla, Ratnapura, Galle, and Puttalam. The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka was quick to respond to the emergency, sheltering displaced families in churches, schools, and temples throughout various dioceses, while Caritas Sri Lanka-SEDEC has been gathering information and conducting needs assessments in the affected areas. An appeal for US$ 355,000 was just launched to help Caritas Sri Lanka meet the basic needs of the displaced, including provisions of cooked food, dry rations, and tin sheets and tarpaulins to be used for temporary shelter. This latest crisis comes at a particularly trying time for Sri Lanka, which is not only working to rehabilitate areas devastated by the 2004 tsunami, but also coping with renewed hostilities in the country.Bangladesh --
In October, Caritas Bangladesh appealed to the global Caritas Confederation for roughly
US$ 430,000 to assist communities affected by flooding and a cyclone. In August, thousands of homes, roads, and embankments in Sathkhira, Jessore, and Khulna districts were destroyed by floodwaters, while in September, hundreds of people, mainly fishermen, were killed and thousands went missing after a cyclone struck the country's coastal belt. The storm destroyed homes, sank fishing trawlers, and damaged crops and shrimp fields, dealing a harsh blow to people's livelihoods. Caritas Bangladesh is planning to distribute food to 800 affected families in the districts of Bhola, Borguna, Sathkhira, Bagerhat through Caritas Barisal and the Khulna regional offices, as well as providing shelter for 700 families. Caritas Bangladesh is also working to provide sources of income and educational support to 40 families who lost their main breadwinners, and to create job opportunities for the many day labourers facing unemployment. Pakistan --
In October, Caritas Paksitan appealed for US$563,000 to assist the more than 7,000 families affected by flooding in the dioceses of Hyderabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad. The monsoon rains began earlier this year and lasted longer than usual, causing rivers to swell and burst their banks. The resulting floods killed hundreds of people, destroyed property, crops, and household food stocks, and diminished livestock. Stagnant pools of water have increased the risk of water-borne diseases.With funds from the appeal, Caritas Pakistan is working to provide non-food relief items including buckets, soap, cooking sets, water, and mosquito nets and coils to affected families. Caritas Pakistan is also focusing on setting up health camps as needed in the affected areas. Medicines will be distributed to patients free of charge, while those seriously ill and in need of greater care will be transported to hospitals. Caritas Pakistan also intends to provide building materials to families whose homes were partially or completely damaged. India --
To help cope with the fallout from heavy flooding in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Orissa, Caritas India appealed for just over US$ 3 million in August to bring relief assistance to thousands of flood survivors. Annual monsoon rains triggered rounds of flooding in many parts of the country, killing several hundred people, destroying livestock and vast acreages of crops, and forcing millions from their homes. The flooding also wreaked havoc on transportation, electricity, and telecommunication services. Caritas India continues to work closely with the Diocesan Social Service Societies and local officials in the affected areas, and with Caritas partner, Catholic Relief Services to help those affected by the floods get back on their feet as quickly as possible. Assessments indicate that the main long-term needs are livelihood and housing support for the poorest families. Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social organisations present in 200 countries and territories. For more information, contact:
Nancy McNally, CI Media Officer
Email: mcnally@caritas.va
or
Jane Kronner, CI Editorial Coordinator
Email: kronner@caritas.va
Heavy monsoon rains provoked flooding and triggered landslides in southern, western, and central Sri Lanka this past weekend, killing at least 19 people and leaving tens of thousands of families homeless. The latest reports put the number of displaced at around 330,000. The districts of Katunayake and Gampaha were the hardest hit, while serious flooding was also reported in several low-lying areas in the districts of Colombo, Kandy, Kurunegala, Kalutara, Matara, Badulla, Ratnapura, Galle, and Puttalam. The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka was quick to respond to the emergency, sheltering displaced families in churches, schools, and temples throughout various dioceses, while Caritas Sri Lanka-SEDEC has been gathering information and conducting needs assessments in the affected areas. An appeal for US$ 355,000 was just launched to help Caritas Sri Lanka meet the basic needs of the displaced, including provisions of cooked food, dry rations, and tin sheets and tarpaulins to be used for temporary shelter. This latest crisis comes at a particularly trying time for Sri Lanka, which is not only working to rehabilitate areas devastated by the 2004 tsunami, but also coping with renewed hostilities in the country.Bangladesh --
In October, Caritas Bangladesh appealed to the global Caritas Confederation for roughly
US$ 430,000 to assist communities affected by flooding and a cyclone. In August, thousands of homes, roads, and embankments in Sathkhira, Jessore, and Khulna districts were destroyed by floodwaters, while in September, hundreds of people, mainly fishermen, were killed and thousands went missing after a cyclone struck the country's coastal belt. The storm destroyed homes, sank fishing trawlers, and damaged crops and shrimp fields, dealing a harsh blow to people's livelihoods. Caritas Bangladesh is planning to distribute food to 800 affected families in the districts of Bhola, Borguna, Sathkhira, Bagerhat through Caritas Barisal and the Khulna regional offices, as well as providing shelter for 700 families. Caritas Bangladesh is also working to provide sources of income and educational support to 40 families who lost their main breadwinners, and to create job opportunities for the many day labourers facing unemployment. Pakistan --
In October, Caritas Paksitan appealed for US$563,000 to assist the more than 7,000 families affected by flooding in the dioceses of Hyderabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad. The monsoon rains began earlier this year and lasted longer than usual, causing rivers to swell and burst their banks. The resulting floods killed hundreds of people, destroyed property, crops, and household food stocks, and diminished livestock. Stagnant pools of water have increased the risk of water-borne diseases.With funds from the appeal, Caritas Pakistan is working to provide non-food relief items including buckets, soap, cooking sets, water, and mosquito nets and coils to affected families. Caritas Pakistan is also focusing on setting up health camps as needed in the affected areas. Medicines will be distributed to patients free of charge, while those seriously ill and in need of greater care will be transported to hospitals. Caritas Pakistan also intends to provide building materials to families whose homes were partially or completely damaged. India --
To help cope with the fallout from heavy flooding in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Orissa, Caritas India appealed for just over US$ 3 million in August to bring relief assistance to thousands of flood survivors. Annual monsoon rains triggered rounds of flooding in many parts of the country, killing several hundred people, destroying livestock and vast acreages of crops, and forcing millions from their homes. The flooding also wreaked havoc on transportation, electricity, and telecommunication services. Caritas India continues to work closely with the Diocesan Social Service Societies and local officials in the affected areas, and with Caritas partner, Catholic Relief Services to help those affected by the floods get back on their feet as quickly as possible. Assessments indicate that the main long-term needs are livelihood and housing support for the poorest families. Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social organisations present in 200 countries and territories. For more information, contact:
Nancy McNally, CI Media Officer
Email: mcnally@caritas.va
or
Jane Kronner, CI Editorial Coordinator
Email: kronner@caritas.va
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
