Christian groups tackle 'desperate' flood situation

The situation in flood-hit Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka is desperate, says Gospel for Asia's vice president Daniel Punos.

"These people have lost all their livestock, lost their farms, lost their businesses. There is nothing left for them. Just trying to survive is the greatest thing right now," describes Punos.

Gospel for Asia was one of the many organizations that swiftly responded to the flooding which displaced an estimated 10 million people and destroyed over two million homes.

The Dalits, or the untouchables, are the ones affected the most by this disaster. But, the mission group says it has an upper hand as "God has placed us right in the middle where this flooding is taking place, which gives us the greatest opportunity to help."

Punos says, "A lot of the aid and help that is going out is from the local churches that are right there. Some of our local churches are under water right now, but the pastors and believers are the ones who are doing the greatest aid now." He adds, "It is always connected back to the local church. We'll be there even after everyone leaves."

Described as the worst flooding in India since years, the torrential rain has compounded the relief woes of several Christian groups that are relentlessly distributing aid even as the government and local agencies find the standing tuff.

Sajeev Bhanja of Evangelical Fellowship of India Commission on Relief (EFICOR) says, "The two southern states are now battling the fury of the worst flood in 100 years."

Eficor is organising aid for 10,000 families in two districts of Andhra Pradesh after a state of emergency was declared. Food, such as rice, pulses and potatoes, is being backed up with non-food items, including cooking utensils, blankets and bedding.

Action by Churches Together (ACT) says its feeding programme is providing meals for nearly 60,000 people but is struggling to generate financial support at a time of many recent typhoon and earthquake emergencies in the Asia region.

ACT International has issued a $1.49 million preliminary appeal for three programmes assisting with cooked meals, dry food rations, temporary shelter, household goods, materials for house repair and basic clothing. The appeal will fund relief efforts running between two and three months and will help 41,000 families. Some of the programmes will focus on marginalised communities, such as Dalit groups

The organisation's Asia-Pacific programme officer Michelle Yonetani says ACT is concerned that funding commitments have been slow to materialize, given the large number of people affected and the urgency of the relief effort. ACT has sent a US$100,000 funding advance to members in India to ensure that responses can get underway.

One of the programmes is currently providing nutritious and satisfying meals to 59,000 people in 73 villages. ACT International has scaled up the number of family relief kits and dry ration kits to 3875 and is in the process of procuring 3375 polythene sheets which families will use as temporary shelter. This number will be further increased as more funding pledges are received.

The floods have killed more than 300 people and have forced many others out of their homes and off their lands. The Indian government reports that 4300 villages were submerged by floodwaters, and 1720 camps have been set up providing temporary accommodation for 677,000 people.