It will be the 20th consecutive year with an above normal global surface temperature. The ten warmest years

Revised Appeal Target: US$ 1,547,028
Geneva, 27 October 1998

Dear Colleagues,

appeal no. 27/98
situation report no. 1
period covered: 22 September - 1 October 1998
As flood waters have begun to recede in some of the 12 states in India affected by the floods, the extent of damages to homes, crops and infrastructure is now becoming more evident. Relief assistance being provided by the Indian Red Cross Society and the International Federation will be adjusted to reflect the oncoming winter weather.

The context

On Wednesday night, 25,000 people had been evacuated from their homes but the number doubled as water levels continued rising, they said.

"The Ukai dam is still above the danger mark," Narotam Patel, water resources minister of Gujarat state told reporters.

Water released from the dam as a precautionary measure had caused extensive flooding in the city.

"Right now millions of families in northern India are facing an immediate grim future," says Isam

Summary

Several countries in Asia are badly affected this year by the devastating floods. Federation response in each situation is determined by the interaction of the number of factors: gravity of the disaster; level of external support required by the respective National Society and its operational capacity; availability of resources and capacity of the governments and role of other humanitarian organisations.

This year's exceptionally heavy monsoon

The Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency quoted Defence Minister George Fernandes as describing the flood situation as "a human tragedy beyond imagination."

"It looks like a deluge," PTI quoted Fernandes as saying after he made an aerial survey of the flood affected regions.

The floods have so far claimed at least

GUWAHATI, India, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Swollen rivers around India rose further on Monday, posing new threats to millions of people as well as crops and wildlife, officials said.

Flooding in the tea- and oil-rich northeastern state of Assam has forced more than 3.6 million people to seek shelter in nearly 400 government relief camps, the officials said.

A dozen people, including four children, were drowned and washed away in the state on Sunday, raising the death toll there due to floods and landslides to 200 in the past four months.