Bonn/New Delhi, 05.09.2008.- Welthungerhilfe is assisting the flood victims in the Indian Federal State of Bihar with 100,000 euro immediate aid and is simultaneously appealing for donations to support activities in the disaster region. Together with the Irish relief organisation Concern Worldwide, around 10,000 families are being provided with food and other aid in Saupal District.
Just like Welthungerhilfe, Concern is a member of Alliance2015, an association of six European relief organisations.
"Together with the Concern colleagues, we have been able to establish an accurate picture of the situation locally and determine what is needed," explains Heinz Peters, the Welthungerhilfe Programme Manager for India. "With our immediate aid, we can now help the roughly 50,000 most badly affected people in their plight."
Need is considerable, and everything is lacking: So far, many of the victims in the north-eastern District of Saupal have been unable to receive state support, they are without emergency accommodation and have hardly any or no water supplies. This is why now, in an initial step, they are being assisted with food, drinking-water, tarpaulins and medical care.
Heinz Peters: "Bihar is already one of India's poorest Federal States, but usually, it is not hit by floods of this extent." However, owing to the River Kosi, in Nepal, which is to the North, having burst its banks and changed its course over a wide expanse, large stretches of Bihar are now flooded. "Looking at the extent of damage - alone more than 250,000 destroyed homes - we are already preparing for having to help the victims for a longer period. In addition to the current provision of immediate aid, we will have to support reconstruction and rehabilitation."