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Worst Floods in Living Memory

Disha UppalAugust 7, 2007

An estimated 20 million people have been affected by the monsoon flooding in South Asia, with the death toll now reaching 1,900. Relief and rescue operations for millions of stranded people is proving to be difficult, but efforts continue.

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Thousands are in need of shelter across South Asia
Thousands are in need of shelter across South AsiaImage: AP

The United Nations is calling them the worst floods in South Asia in living memory and their consequences are dramatic.

Although water levels in some of the region's swollen rivers have started to recede, thousands of people are in need of immediate shelter and access to fresh water, food, emergency medical supplies and basic household items.

Umesh Prasad Dhakal, a senior UN official located in Kathmandu, said that "almost half of Nepal had been affected, with 32 districts flooded". He said that although the water levels were receding, more rain was expected in the coming days as it was only the "beginning of the season".

Makeshift shelters

Meanwhile, in Bihar, India’s worst affected northern state, hundreds of people have already been moved to makeshift shelters. The government has deployed army troops and relief helicopters to air-drop food and other emergency supplies.

As rains start to ease, the authorities have warned against an epidemic outbreak in the region. The Bangladesh health authorities said they were already struggling to cope with with thousands of cases of diarrhoea, and other water-borne diseases.

According to the United Nation's Children's Fund, or UNICEF, millions of people could fall ill with malaria, dengue fever or other diseases if emergency aid does not reach them immediately.

Constant touch

But in Nepal Umesh Dhakal said there was some cause for optimism:

"We are in constant touch with the WHO and it is unlikely that there will be an outbreak. We have enough medication and the Sri Lankan government is going to send us some supplies of medicines."

Meanwhile, the international community is gearing up to send relief aid to the flood-affected areas of South Asia.

Canada has pledged one million dollars in emergency aid relief for the victims of South Asia, while the German aid group Help has collected funds worth 20,000 euros for victims in Bangladesh.