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Global terror

India struggles to cope with floods

By James Fontanella-Khan in Calcutta

Published: September 2 2008 03:00 | Last updated: September 2 2008
03:00

As the world’s focus turns to Hurricane Gustav, India is struggling with the
aftermath of floods that have displaced nearly 10 times as many people as the
population of New Orleans .

Almost 3m people have been forced from their homes in the impoverished Indian
state of Bihar, where floods have claimed 90 lives and led the government to
declare the situation a “national calamity”.

Tens of thousands of people have been left stranded for nearly two weeks
without water and food after levees on the Kosi river burst in Nepal, flooding
more than 800 villages and 250,000 acres of farmland in the north-eastern
state.

“Lessons from the past disasters should be kept in mind while planning a
response ... a long-term comprehensive response is necessary to deal with
relief, recovery and disaster preparedness," said Babu Mathew, director of
ActionAid India.

Since the monsoon began in early June more than 1,000 people have died in
south Asia as a result of heavy rains and floods, and the number could increase
considerably as rising river levels threaten the lives of millions of people
across Bangladesh.

The government, criticised for a late response to the disaster, deployed
1,680 additional soldiers, adding to 600 already there, and ordered the navy to
step up rescue efforts with aircraft and boats. The government has also promised
$230m in aid for the affected regions.

“The situation is catastrophic,” said Thomas Chandy, head of Save the
Children in India.

“The area that is flooded is growing every day and more and more children and
their families are at risk of losing their homes.”

Copyright The
Financial Times Limited 2008

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