India: Floods Situation Summary Report 31 Aug 2004

Assam

As of 31 August 2004 Event : Floods

Heavy rainfall over the state and in the neighboring uphill states and countries for a sustained period since the last week of June has resulted in the rise of the water level of the whole river network -- Brahmaputra and it's tributaries and over flowed in he states of Bihar and Assam. Heavy rains also induced flash flooding in the Northwest of India in the second week of August affecting the states of Gujarat, Mharashtra, Himacchal Pradesh, and Uttaracnhal. Many villages were submerged with the overflowing of these rivers. Added to the rise in the water level, breaches along the river & dam embankments, release of water from Bhutan, landslides and sudden change of course by rivers, aggravated and deteriorated overall flood situation of the state. This has caused deaths and displacement rendering millions of people homeless. The flood has also caused widespread damages to human life, property, standing crops, flood control embankments, tea gardens, national parks and reserves and other basic infrastructure in the state.

Summary of the Situation:

The overall situation of the state is improving with less rainfall over the state and bordering areas. Most rivers are flowing below the danger level except for the River Brahmaputra at Dibrugarh and Dhansiri in Numaligarh Districts. This situation is closely monitored. Relief work by the government and the nongovernmental organizations continues. There are no new damages reported, however there is an increase in the death toll. The following is a summary

• All of the 27 districts are now affected by floods the situation in the worst affected districts : Karimganj, Cachar, Nagaon and Golpara are improving marginally. However the situation for low-lying areas of Golaghat and Jorhat will remain serious for sometime.
  
  
• 10,425 villages have so far been affected by the floods this year affecting a population of 12.2 million approximately although water is receding many areas are still submerged and water has been stagnant
  
  
• 572,413 houses have been damaged
  
  
• 251 deaths (32 from cases of diarrhea)
  
  
• Approximately 619,539 people are spread over 477 camps (Source: UNDMT)
  
  
• Total crop area affected is estimated to be 1.25 million hectares with 120,000 families severely affected
  
  
• Lifelines are badly damaged with a number of roads closed to traffic due to damage (approximately 562 kms of National Highways); railway traffic has also been suspended in many areas (eg, Lumding-Badarpur suspended due to landslides since 10 July)
  
  
• 24 breaches of the embankments have happened in the month of July alone

Summary of Health Issues

• The report of the health department has recorded 32 deaths due to diarrhea. There are no details of reports from the Health Department to follow-up on previously reported figures
  
  
• Needed health supplies and medicines have been identified and sent by the Ministry of Health including ORS packets and halogen tablets
  
  
• Epidemic Surveillance by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP) and the Regional Director of Health and Family Welfare in Guwahati are on high alert; a team has been sent by the MOH to advise the state health officials on actions to be taken to prevent epidemics
  
  
• The State Health Department has deployed 2,500 doctors for providing medical assistance to the flood victims in the affected areas. 31 medical officers and 99 health workers in 30 teams have been deployed in the affected areas to provided preventive and curative health services
  
  
• The Public Health Engineering Department is distributing water purifying chemical packets, bleaching powder packets for disinfection of tube wells, ring wells and ponds, installation and repair of tube wells are also being carried out
  
  
• Medical camps have been organized by the Army (99 APO) through 12 columns in the districts of Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Morigaon, Kamrup, Nagaon, Goalpara and Nalbari.

Summary of Action Taken

All state and district administration have taken steps for relief and rescue operation. The officials of all line departments of state and central government have been asked to assist the district administration in the relief and rescue operations and have responded as follows:

• 27 Army columns have been providing assistance in various districts
  
  
• Calamity Relief Funds (from Central government amounting to 462.2 million RS) have been earmarked for distribution of relief goods like food stuff, kerosene, drinking water, and medicine
  
  
• The State Government has requested the GOI for 5 million halogen tablets, ORS packets and 200 MTs of bleaching powder
  
  
• Flood Management Committees have been constituted at the State, District and Sub-divisional level
  
  
• Inter-ministerial committee has been set-up to carry out damage assessment in Assam
  
  
• Emergency Wireless Communications are also being set-up
  
  
• Efforts to address water and sanitation issues such as distribution of water purifying tablets; cleaning and repair of wells have been implemented
  
  
• Support from civil society and international organizations together with bilateral assistance has been provided in various forms particularly by agencies with field offices in Assam State; regular coordination/information sharing meeting by NGOs are conducted

Points of concern:

• Due to contamination of most drinking water sources further increase of cases of water-borne diseases is expected
  
  
• Severe damage to houses will be a critical problem to address in the near future -- temporary shelters are not sufficient in number and in the medium term
  
  
• Damage to staple food crop cultivation may lead to food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable populations (eg, poor farmers)
  
  
• Availability of safe and adequate drinking water is a cause of concern due to contamination of all drinking water sources
  
  
• Lack of proper hygiene in relief camps and stagnation of water as flood waters recede may lead to epidemics of water borne diseases Isolated cases have been reported to the health department
  
  
• Lack of dry storage points to store food and relief items
  
  
• Landslides have further hindered the transport of relief items

Current Needs:

• Health care services in the ongoing shelter camps and centers need improvement -- post natal and neonatal care should be provided
  
  
• Bleaching powder and phenyl are required in large quantities for the affected districts
  
  
• Construction of sanitary facilities for relief camps
  
  
• Post flood disease surveillance assessment and interventions in the affected districts
  
  
• Awareness and Communication programmes primarily for health and hygiene issues as well as livelihood and recovery strategies are needed
  
  
• Family Kits containing mosquito nets, bed sheets, utensils, and tarpaulins are needed for all families whose houses were completely washed away
  
  
• Vaccination of livestock

The Government of India did not request international assistance to respond to this emergency

From a report by: Mr A K Sengupta, Environmental Health Officer WHO India Office

Sources of Information : Government Report (Ministry of Home Affairs) ; UNDP Team, Media Reports, NGOs in Assam; Disaster Management Department, Govt. of Bihar; Indian Meteorological Department (IMD); Central Water Commission (CWC); UNDP Bihar Team

Bihar

As of 31 August 2004 Bihar Summary of the Situation:

The worst affected districts in the ongoing floods are Dharbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, Samsatipur and Muzzafarpur. Some figures of the damage are as follows:

• 20 of 38 districts have been affected.
  
  
• 685 people have died; 203 of which occurred in Darbhanga District
  
  
• 21.25 million people affected
  
  
• 9360 villages affected
  
  
• 1.36 million people have taken shelter in 980 relief centers/temporary camps
  
  
• extensive damage to road and rail networks have been documented

Summary of Action Taken

Lead by State Government in coordination with central government

• State and Central Government Coordination meetings have been conducted regularly to assist the affected population
  
  
• A total of 10 Army columns for food relief deployed with 6062 boats for rescue and relief operations
  
  
• Inter-ministerial team has been constituted for detailed assessments in the state
  
  
• Ministry of Health has been requested to provide 5 million halogen tablets and to send a specialist team to flood affected areas of Assam to advice the State Govt. on actions to be taken to prevent the outbreak of epidemic situation. Procurement of other medical supplies are currently being arranged
  
  
• An assessment of medicines and health supplies needed has resulted in the procurement of 26 essential medicines
  
  
• Tents have been supplied by different states and institutions to meet the needs
  
  
• The Calamity Relief Fund of Rs.818 million has been released for Bihar.
  
  
• Infrastructure support- temporary roads, bridges, repair of embankments, irrigation and livestock needs and emergency communication networks have been coordinated by the Chief Secretary
  
  
• NGO coordination meeting is conducted regularly to define roles and responsibilities
  
  
• Additional assistance from civil society groups, international organizations have also been provided

Current needs

• Safe drinking water essential life-saving medicines, shelter material and water purifying agents
  
  
• Construction of sanitation facilities to be provided in affected areas
  
  
• Strengthened disease surveillance will be a priority public health intervention in the affected districts
  
  
• Planning for immediate, medium and long term rehabilitation and recovery action
  
  
• Issues particularly for vulnerable groups such as women and children have to be addressed
  
  
• Provision of safe and adequate drinking water need is also a priority
  
  
• Post flood- disease surveillance in the affected districts

WHO Action

• From an assessment visit conducted in the last week of July by Environmental Health Officer of WHO India Office the following are extracts from the report:
  
  
• Water level has started receding from a number of places and people have started going back to their own places. As large number of houses/huts has been damaged, more relief camps including temporary shelters need to be created.
  
  
• Most of drinking water sources have been damaged due to mud/sand filling or washed away. These need to be restored/ rehabilitated. It is also essential to disinfect them and monitor the residual chlorine level. Though bleaching powder and halogen tablets are being sent to district headquarters for distribution, proper monitoring of the final use is yet to start. This is a must to keep a watch on acute diarrhoeal diseases.
  
  
• The Disease surveillance programme needs to be strengthened
  
  
• At present there is no monitoring of the quantity and quality of food being supplied and means to cook them.
  
  
• Relief items may not be an issue while their distribution was critical.
  
  
• NGO coordination meeting are held regularly where key issues are discussed and decisions are made
  
  
• WHO assistance in the post-emergency phase will primarily be in the area of strengthening disease surveillance in coordination with the Ministry of Health and the UNDMT.

The Government of India did not request international assistance to respond to this emergency

From a report by: Mr A K Sengupta, Environmental Health Officer WHO India Office Sources of Information : Government Report (Ministry of Home Affairs) ; UNDP Team, Media Reports, NGOs in Assam; Disaster Management Department, Govt. of Bihar; Indian Meteorological Department (IMD); Central Water Commission (CWC); UNDP Bihar Team; UNICEF

Northwest India

Gujarat - Himachal Pradesh Maharashtra Punjab

As of 31 August 2004 Event: Floods

Summary of the Situation

The districts of Surat, Navsari, Baruch, Junagadh and Amreli, Kutch and Saurashtra have experienced heavy showers due to low pressure areas over the East Arabian Coast in the first week of August. As such flash floods have occurred. The flood situation has been under control for two weeks now. Relief work and damage and needs assessments are underway in the 12 districts affected. The following districts were severely affected: Valsad, Surat, Navsari, Bharuch, Narmada, and Vadodara. As of 10 August, no rivers approached the danger level. Water levels of reservoirs and dams are currently being monitored closely. A summary of the damage follows:

• 340,000 people are affected
  
  
• 124 deaths either due to drowning, electrocution or collapse of houses
  
  
• 1545 houses were damaged completely
  
  
• 23,557 houses were damaged partially
  
  
• Lifelines have been disrupted but are being restored o Road networks have been affected in 67 main state highways o Communications remain functioning as all telephone lines are intact o Railway traffic has been restored in the Vadodara-Mumbai Line o Power remains disrupted in some villages however majority of feeders (912 of 926) have been restored)

Summary of Action Taken:

Rescue and evacuations operations have been carried out by the Indian Army. Rescue teams of the fire brigades in some districts are on stand-by. The administration has also released INR 46,875 as payment for the affected victims. Household kits have been distributed to 108 families that have been displaced. Details area s follows:

• A total of 6 Army columns (135 people each) have been deployed in Navasari, Barucch, and Narmada
  
  
• 89 boats have also been deployed for rescue operations
  
  
• Life jackets have been distributed in the 5 affected districts
  
  
• 215, 200 food packets have been distributed and local kitchens have been set-up with the assistance of NGOs
  
  
• Water has been tinkered to the designated shelters and villages which have been having problems in operating their water supply schemes due to power outages
  
  
• Household kits have been distributed and relief cash to those displaced have been distributed by the administration

Summary of Health Issues

• Chlorine tablets, ORS and assistance in chlorination of water sources are being provided by Government health workers
  
  
• Medical teams have been deployed : teams of 231 members consisting of 99 medical officers and 615 paramedics have been deployed throughout the district to provide medical services.
  
  
• Water quality is being monitored and all drinking water storage utilities are being chlorinated
  
  
• Health Education for water safety has been conducted (eg, through PA system announcements)

The WHO Field Team in Gujarat has worked closely with local health authorities in coordination with the WHO New Delhi Office in addressing public health concerns arising from this event.

From a Report by Mr AK Sengupta current EHA Focal Point, WHO India Office

Sources of Information : IMD , New Delhi, UNDP Gujarat, Gujarat State DMA, WHO Gujarat Filed Team