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Red Cross to make international appeal for flood relief

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

The South Asian unit of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies will make an international appeal for donations to meet the requirement of millions of flood-affected people in Uttar Pradesh, Geoffrey Dennis, head of the unit, told Rediff On The NeT.

Dennis, who undertook an aerial survey of the worst affected districts of eastern UP, along with state Governor Suraj Bhan, admitted, "The situation is much worse than what we had visualised." He said, "I have seen a lot of floods and flooded areas, but the enormity of the calamity in this region is mindboggling. As our helicopter flew out of Lucknow, we could see vast expanses of water all over, and as we hit Gorakhpur, it looked more like a sea."

According to him, The International Red Cross Federation, which had earlier earmarked Rs 60 million for relief measures in three flood-affected states -- UP, Rajasthan and Kerala -- would have to do some re-thinking and rescheduling of funds in view of the large-scale devastation caused in UP, where the number of affected people was perhaps much more than that in other states.

He is quite optimistic about netting at least another one million pounds through the appeal that would be put out shortly. "In the past our appeals for similar situations have elicited extremely good response from Indians in the UK and USA, so there is no reason why we will not get the same co-operation this time," he pointed out, adding, "Besides, we also expect good funding from different foreign governments and organisations."

Dennis said the relief assistance would be made in two phases. "Our immediate thrust would be on ensuring safe drinking water supply, food, clothing and medicines to the flood affected population," he stressed. "However, no sooner than the water recedes from the inundated areas, we will also supply of asbestos sheets to provide a roof to families, whose dwelling units were completely destroyed in the floods."

As an immediate measure, he proposes to rush large quantities of bleaching powder and chlorine tablets to disinfect drinking water. "I feel that is the foremost task before us, because most of the handpumps that I saw were nearly submerged under flood waters that included backflow of drains, sewage, etc and could lead to an outbreak of cholera or gastro-enteritis," he pointed out. Intensive disinfection of localities immediately after pumping out of accumulated water was also suggested by the Red Cross team to prevent outbreak of an epidemic.

Dennis, whose aerial survey in the state helicopter continued for over two hours, drew a similarity between the situation in eastern UP and the devastating floods he had witnessed in North Korea two years ago.

The initial proposal for taking up 4,000 worst hit families in each of the five worst affected districts, was also likely to be revised in view of the extent of damage personally witnessed by him. "But, of course, let us first take up this target; and depending on the additional funding we receive, we will include more of the affected lot in our relief," he observed.

So far, the flood has taken a toll of nearly 1,200 human lives while 2,300 cattle have perished. As many as 14,000 villages are caught in the grip of floods and a population of over 10 million is directly affected. About 21,000 dwelling units were reported to be completely washed away while 76,000 are partially damaged.

UP Chief Secretary Yogendra Narain estimated the overall losses to the tune of Rs 30 billion, of which agricultural property alone is stated to be wroth at least Rs 14 billion. However, the state government has made an interim request to the Centre for a grant of Rs 3 billion. "A fresh memorandum seeking larger central assistance was being prepared for submission," Narain disclosed.

The Red Cross official was touched by the plight of people evacuated to relief camps set up in schools and colleges in Gorakhpur, where the Red Cross team got off to take a first hand account of the miseries of common people. Gorakhpur is regarded as the worst hit of UP's 47 flood-affected districts. UP has 83 districts and even as the eastern districts are known to be annually prone to floods, state officials describe this year's calamity as the 'worst of its kind this century.'

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