Taking cooked food to stranded villagers in Uttar Pradesh, India. Photo: CASA-ACT
Across the Asian continent, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance partners are planning and implementing assistance for more than 270,000 vulnerable people in various flood-related emergencies. Emergency responses include immediate food distribution, safe water, housing reconstruction and future risk reduction.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is supporting the work of our mission partners in the affected countries in cooperation with other members of ACT (Action by Churches Together) International. ACT members are coordinating their efforts throughout each country to ensure an effective and appropriate response to those most vulnerable and in need of humanitarian assistance.
In addition to the immediate assistance and rehabilitation work, a key aspect of the planned flood responses is to build upon the current coping mechanisms of communities and to reduce their future risks. Following is information about country-specific responses.
Provisions include food and medicines. Photo: Arne Grieg Riisnaes, NCA-ACT
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS) provided emergency assistance to about 30,400 people in the Kurigram and Lalmonirhat districts. Provisions included food kits with rice, lentils, high-protein biscuits and cooking supplies as well as non-food items such as tarpaulins, clothing and health items. The Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB) has also already responded in the Harirampur district in collaboration with Norwegian Church Aid (NCA).
PDA partners and ACT members in Bangladesh, including RDRS and CCDB as well as the Church of Bangladesh (CoB), Koinonia and the Social Health & Education Development Board (SHED), are also beginning additional assistance to 6,400 families with support from the ACT Rapid Response Fund.
Photo: CWS P/A-ACT Pakistan
The Pakistan/Afghanistan office of PDA’s partner Church World Service (CWS-Pakistan) began responding at the end of June to the Pakistan flood situation in Gadap and Sindh with support from the ACT Rapid Response Fund.
CWS-Pakistan continues to assist more than 20,000 of the most vulnerable flood-affected households, providing food packages, plastic sheets, reconstruction materials, health services, hygiene kits and training, counseling and community services, and training for aid workers.
Photo: Amity Foundation-ACT
China
Vast regions of China have also been dramatically affected by the heavy rains and resulting flooding. PDA’s long-time mission partner in China, the Amity Foundation, is assisting vulnerable families in the municipality of Chongqing and in the provinces of Anhui and Jiangsu.
Amity is assisting 5,000 homeless and severely affected families with the provision of the distribution of food and non-food items as well as rehabilitation of drinking water systems, irrigation systems, houses, clinics and schools.
Photo: LWSI-ACT
India
In India, PDA’s mission partner CASA (Churches Auxiliary for Social Action ) responded immediately after the floods by establishing feeding centers to support those most in need of assistance. Water purification tablets were also distributed to minimize the spread of water-borne diseases.
CASA is helping 24,000 flood-affected and vulnerable families in need of emergency assistance in the provinces of Assam, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
Assistance includes cooked food for families; a woolen blanket, dhoti (men's garment), and sari (women's garment); dry rations (rice, lentils, cooking oil, salt, chili powder, turmeric powder) and cooking utensils; tarpaulins for temporary shelter; water purification tablets and bleach. CASA also plans to help 5,000 families to repair or reconstruct their flood-damaged homes.
In the second week of July, CASA and ACT member the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India (UELCI) provided assistance to 58,500 people in the province of Andhra Pradesh, affected by earlier severe flooding in the country.
Additional information on India flooding |
