SPHERE-India FLASH APPEAL

Emergency Relief Appeal for Victims of India Floods

07 August 2007. New Delhi.

Large parts of India, particularly the states of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Orissa, are reeling under one of the severest floods in over a decade. About 1,250 people lost their lives and about 68,000 livestock perished in the current monsoon season as per media reports. Half a million hectare of crop has been lost. About 35 million people across 71 districts of the five worst affected states are in desperate need for assistance. The images of women and children wading through muddy waters in search of a dry land to shelter themselves continue to disturb. Currently, the water level in some of the major rivers is receding but the situation remains grim. Millions remain displaced, hungry and thirsty. Waterborne diseases are breaking out in certain affected areas.

There is an immediate need for safe drinking water, personal hygiene and health care, temporary shelter, food, fodder, fuel and essential daily commodities. There is special need for immediate support to women, children, disabled and the aged. Personal hygiene and reproductive health needs of women need specific attention.

The government is doing its part to alleviate the suffering of the affected communities by providing rapid evacuation, rescue and relief support. The Humanitarian community, especially the members of SPHERE-India, national coalition of humanitarian agencies, is working in close coordination with the government at various levels by extending support through volunteers, Community Based Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations. They have pledged over four million US$ targeting over 50,000 families for immediate relief. However, a much larger effort is needed in the coming days. While there will be a need for medium term support for recovery and rehabilitation, the current immediate relief needs for survival call for urgent attention and immediate action.

We, the members of SPHERE-India national coalition of humanitarian agencies, hereby appeal to the donor community to consider priority support through their partner organizations engaged in the relief and recovery efforts in the affected area.

N.M. Prusty, Chairperson, (behalf of SPHERE-India coalition)

SPHERE-India members:

ActionAid, ADRA, Care India, Caritas India, CASA, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, CRS, DanChurch Aid, EFICOR , Emmanuel Hospital Association, GAA, GOAL, Red Cross (IRCS/IFRC), LWSI, Oxfam, Plan International, Save the Children Fund(UK), SEEDS, VANI, VASUDEVA, World Vision.

For further details:

N.M. Prusty, Chair, SPHERE-India Email: nmprusty@yahoo.co.in Cell: 9811310841

Anshu Sharma, Chair, URS (Unified Response Strategy) Subcommittee Email: anshu@seedsindia.org Cell: 9810066976

Arjun Khajuria, URS (Unified Response Strategy) Focal Person Email: sphere.urs@gmail.com Cell: 9350953643

Vikrant Mahajan, SPHERE-India Coordinator Email: Vik.267@gmail.com Cell: 9818666831

Web: www.sphereindia-urs.org