2020 India Flood Response

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Last updated: August 10, 2020

In July and August 2020, extreme rainfall caused widespread flooding in India. More than 3,000 villages across 29 districts in the state have flooded.  The National Emergency Response Centre (NDMI) reports that at least 568,000 people have been evacuated, with over 210,000 staying at relief centers. At least 771 people have died.

The most affected States are West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. Several rivers—including the mighty Brahmaputra—are flowing above danger level, causing floods and consequently leaving thousands of families homeless.

Immediate Needs

Current needs identified by our local nonprofit partners include:

• Ration kits for families consist of rice, dal, oil, salt, soybeans, etc.
• Clean drinking water
• Tarpaulins / emergency shelters for displaced residents
• Hygiene and sanitation kits
• Medium and longer term’s recovery work such as: livelihood recovery, rehabilitation of damaged houses and public facilities, psychosocial supports to floods affected communities
• Ongoing disaster preparedness work

Our Partners’ Response

SEEDS India: SEEDS is promptly reaching out to affected families in Assam with safe drinking water, dry food, and hygiene kits including key items required for COVID safety, as the most urgent needs based on the information from SEEDS volunteers on ground. With extensive damage to houses, affected families need to start rebuilding from day one, in order to have a roof above their heads. This is critical given the continued rains in these areas. Immediate support for repairing homes and getting basic home utilities are thus the next priorities.

IGSSS India: partner has been working in Assam and focus on flood response, recovery and preparedness for many years. IGSSS is currently responding and in immediate needs of hygiene kits, plastic mats, and tarpaulins, mosquito nets and unconditional cash support for the affected families.

CEE will work in Bihar, Assam and Uttar Pradesh. As a national-level organization, CEE has been working in the area of disaster risk reduction education and has successfully implemented post-disaster response activities in school communities. CEE will focus on post-disaster strategy, primarily community-based education and awareness and resilience building.

Oxfam India is working in both Assam and Bihar, and will expand its outreach in suggesting both emergency response and rehabilitation and resilience building. In Bihar, the worst affected areas from the Gopalganj and Saran will be identified for the humanitarian and Early Recovery supports. New districts/areas will be included under the operational focus, depending on the emerging situation. Oxfam India will focus on the rapid response (short-term) and recovery (medium-term) in the following areas: Water Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), Emergency shelter and Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihoods.

For details on our related campaigns, see our 2020 China Flood Response and 2020 Kyushu Flood Response pages. Photos courtesy of SEEDS.