In July and August 2020, extreme rainfall caused widespread flooding in India.
Executive Summary
More than 3,000 villages across 29 districts in the state were flooded. According to the National Emergency Response Centre (NDMI), the situation forced the evacuation of at least 568,000 people, with over 210,000 of them finding shelter in relief centers. Tragically, the death toll stands at a devastating 771 individuals.
The states hit hardest by this calamity include West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. Many rivers, including the mighty Brahmaputra, have surged beyond their danger levels, resulting in widespread floods and leaving countless families without homes.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, a new wave of COVID-19 has further exacerbated the suffering. For the affected communities, maintaining social distancing and personal hygiene has become an arduous challenge, particularly given the high number of homeless individuals. The economic and livelihood impact of these concurrent disasters has placed a heavy burden on them.
Give2Asia promptly initiated support for relief efforts within these affected communities, collaborating closely with our trusted partners in the country. We are proud to announce that Give2Asia has raised a total of US$ 24,271 and allocated these funds to a recovery and rehabilitation project through one of our DisasterLink partners in the country. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every donor who has made this critical support possible.
Grant Snapshots
Building Disaster Resilience for Communities Affected by India Flood – Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
The Centre for Environment Education (CEE) is dedicated to enhancing the capacity and skills of communities, particularly in the realm of disaster recovery. The most recent project, conducted in the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, aimed to implement disaster risk reduction (DRR) education in schools and communities across three blocks. This initiative garnered significant support from the target groups, government departments, and institutions. However, the annual occurrence of floods exacerbates the challenges faced by these communities in rebuilding their lives. The added complication of the COVID-19 pandemic further heightened the difficulties in flood-affected areas. Education, awareness, capacity building, and specialized training are essential elements to empower these communities to effectively manage such situations.
The grant if grant of US$ 25,288.01 supported 1,200 families and schools in all nine flood affected villages of Ramnagar block from Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh by introducing DRR education and awareness activities, fostering community engagement, and fortifying livelihood systems to withstand the impacts of floods. The DRR education and awareness activities were introduced to children in the schools and communities of the targeted villages. Education and communication strategy were used to reach out to target groups to raise their awareness and build their capacity to prepare their disaster management plans and to implement them. By focusing on these key areas and implementing our educational and capacity-building initiatives, CEE has played a pivotal role in helping flood-affected communities in Uttar Pradesh prepare for and respond to recurring natural disasters, thus fostering disaster resilience and sustainable recovery.
Current Situation
Floods have been a recurrent phenomenon in India and cause huge losses to lives, properties, livelihood systems, infrastructure and public utilities. India’s hightened risk and vulnerability is emphasized by the fact that more than 40 million hectares are prone to flooding. The increase in climate-related disasters have made flood disasters in India more severe in the past five years.
Give2Asia works to increase the capacity of local community-based organizations across Asia to prepare for disasters and build sustainable programming to address long-term climate challenges. We work with countries that are highly vulnerable to disasters to fund innovative programming at the community level. You can donate to the Give2Asia Preparedness Fund to support partners in their disaster preparedness efforts here.
Through our pre-positioned disaster response network DisasterLink, Give2Asia is partnering with trusted local charities in high-risk countries that are well-positioned to respond rapidly and provide long-term recovery. Learn more about DisasterLink here.