Concern has announced its plans for an emergency relief effort in response to the mudslides and flooding in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Concern's plans will complement the government's response, which swung into action shortly after the fatal mudslides on Monday morning. The number of people killed by the floods and mudslides has now to risen to at least 118, officials say.
Essential supplies
Relief packages consisting of one weeks rations (15 kilograms of rice, two kilograms of pulses, one kilogram of salt, one litre of vegetable oil and five packets of oral re-hydration salts) will be distributed to over 4,000 families living in slum areas affected by the water logging. The distribution will be conducted with local NGO partner NISHKRITI in eight wards of Chittagong.
"As a result of the devastating ongoing rains, thousands have lost valuables. In many families the principle wage earners are injured or sick", Concern regional manager Bijoy Krishna Nath explained. "The unemployed and underemployed, who make up the majority of our target group, have lost income for over a week now. This relief package will help reduce suffering and ensure that families and wage earners remain healthy and ready to take up wage earning activities as soon as possible."
Working with partners
This emergency response is the latest in a long line of actions from Concern, which has been working in Bangladesh since its independence. "As a humanitarian organisation it is our duty and responsibility to stand alongside government and respond quickly to emergencies of this type", Concern country director Kieron Crawley stated.
It is expected that the relief distribution will be supervised by government and Chittagong city corporation officials.