Flood-hit areas limping back to normality Special Correspondent

Flights resume at Visakhapatnam airport; toll goes up to nine

HYDERABAD: The flood-hit areas in Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari, Khammam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram were limping back to normality on Sunday following the respite in rain. Flights too resumed at the Visakhapatnam airport.

The toll, however, rose to nine, with two more deaths reported from West Godavari and Vizianagaram districts in wall-collapse and drowning, respectively.

While the ‘trough’ which caused the torrential rain dissipated, another low pressure area lay in the Bay close to West Bengal. The State Met Office, however, said the fresh system was not likely to pose a threat. It might move towards West Bengal and Bangladesh.

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Ugandan president hits the road to raise flood aid

Oct 5, 2007

KAMPALA (AFP) — Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Friday led hundreds in walking through the capital to raise funds for victims of recent floods that have killed 20 people and affected 300,000 in the north and east.

At least 300 people in 22 African nations countries have died in floods over the past two months, according to figures from governments, hospitals and humanitarian sources compiled by AFP.

Humanitarian groups said the flooding -- the continent's worst in 30 years -- has affected at least 1.5 million people from one side of the continent to the other.

"The biggest victim of these floods is the bridges. We need to first of all repair them, but maybe we need to rebuild them in a different way because they were built assuming there would be no rising water," Museveni told the marchers outside Kampala.

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11 lakh affected in E.Midnapore district flood

Kolaghat (WB), Oct. 2 (PTI): About 11 lakh people of 25 blocks of East Midnapore district was affected floods, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee said today.

Bhattacharjee, who held a meeting with top officers of East Midnapore district here, said the administration opened 71 relief centres where 6000 people had taken shelter.

However, after water receded a bit now, about 2500 people were currently lodged in these centres.

The chief minister said crops of 1.28 lakh hectare land were destroyed in the flood in the district.

South Asia Flood Death Toll Rises to 4,000 as UN Seeks More Aid

By Michael Heath

Oct. 2 (Bloomberg) -- The death toll from monsoon floods in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan rose to more than 4,000 people and the humanitarian crisis could worsen without more aid, the United Nations said.

Floods in the June to September monsoon season ``disrupted the lives of more than 66 million -- a number larger than the population of France'' the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said yesterday in a statement.

Rains last month inundated areas that were starting to recover from flooding, stranding another 100,000 people in Bangladesh and leaving millions homeless in India, OCHA said. Northeast India was hit by three successive floods this year.

Stagnant waters are contributing to the outbreak of disease, the UN said. In Pakistan, more than 86,000 cases of malaria have been reported and 70,000 people are suffering from gastroenteritis, mainly from drinking contaminated water.

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Inadequate relief to deluge-hit criticised
Tuesday October 2 2007 10:10 IST

ENS

BALASORE: The BJP leaders of Balasore have joined hands with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in slamming the State Government for failing to provide succour to the flood-hit people of north Orissa districts.

Ex-MLA and former district president of BJP Jiban Pradip Dash has threatened to hit the streets if the Government failed to provide relief to all the flood victims of the district in seven days.

��Though the district administration claims to have distributed relief materials to all the flood victims, in reality, thousands of deluge-hit people are starving in remote areas of the district. Besides, people are in immediate need of polythene sheets, safe drinking water and food items,�� Dash said.

��In many areas, water has not been disinfected, no medical team has visited the worst-hit pockets of flood-affected blocks and halogen tablets have not been distributed due to lack of coordination among the officials concerned,�� he added.

The BJP leader�s statements have come as a bolt from the blue as BJP is a partner of the coalition Government.

A day earlier, a host of NCP leaders including Ashok Das, Bijay Mohapatra, Arun Dey, Anadi Sahu and Amar Satapathy who had visited Sadar, Basta and Remuna blocks of Balasore district blamed the Government for its indifferent attitude towards the flood victims.

Earlier, Central Minister Chandrasekhar Sahu and PCC president Jaydev Jena too had pointed out inadequate relief distribution after visiting Simulia, Soro and Khaira blocks.

Orissa reels under floods following heavy rains

From our ANI Correspondent

Balasore (Orissa), Sept 27: Orissa is reeling under floods caused by heavy rains over the past few days across the state.
The situation in Balasore district continued to be grim for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday with three major rivers still in spate, leaving hundreds of villagers here marooned.

Floodwaters have entered the Balasore municipality area and two other urban local bodies of Jaleswar and Nilagiri, inundating low-lying areas and damaging thatched houses.

"It is a severe flood situation here. I haven't seen such kind of flood in our area in my lifetime. The government has not provided any kind of help, no relief has been provided to us, no polythene bags, no food, nothing has reached us," said Bhikari Mallick, a flood victim.

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88 Killed In India Flooding In September

September 30, 2007 10:02 a.m. EST

Preciosa Dumlao - AHN Writer

Kolkata, India (AHN) - Since the start of September, at least 88 people have died in rain-related accidents in eastern India, and tens of thousands have been stranded in government relief camps, reports said.

In recent days, rain-related accidents in the state of West Bengal have claimed 48 lives, a relief minister said Saturday.

"The death toll rose to 48 today with 19 more people dying of snake bites, electrocutions and wall collapses," Relief minister Mortaza Hossain was quoted as saying by Agency France Press.

"More than three million people have been displaced by the flooding in eight districts," he said.

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Almost 90 dead in fresh India monsoon rains

Sep 29, 2007

KOLKATA, India (AFP) — At least 88 people have died in rain-related accidents in eastern India since the start of September with tens of thousands stranded in state-run relief camps, officials said.

Rain-related accidents in the state of West Bengal have claimed 48 lives there in recent days, a minister told AFP.

"The death toll rose to 48 today with 19 more people dying of snake bites, electrocutions and wall collapses," said relief minister Mortaza Hossain on Saturday.

"More than three million people have been displaced by the flooding in eight districts."

Some 200,000 homes have also been destroyed, state officials said, but added that the situation was under control with boats rescuing people from roof-tops and houses.

The situation in eastern Orissa state was also grim with 40 dead this month, many in recent days, Manmohan Samal, minister for revenue and disaster management in the state, told AFP Friday.

The floods had cost the Orissa exchequer some 275 million dollars, the state government said, but no new deaths were reported from the state Saturday and rains appeared to be diminishing.

More than 3,100 people have been killed by rain and floods in India since the start of the June to September monsoons, the latest figures available from India's home ministry showed.

Valvonti floods, a distress signal

by Nandkumar Kamat

The flash floods at night, which created a nightmarish situation for the people of Sattari and Bicholim, is natures’ warning that all is not well with the management of the catchments of the inter-state Valvonti river - an important tributary of the Mandovi river. Goa shares this river basin with Maharashtra. Valvonti, a 22-kilometre long river with tidal influence till Sanquelim town, originates near Virdi in Sawantwadi taluka and enters Goa at Shiroli. The Costi river joins it at Ghonteli, the Cudnem river at Karkhazan and the Bicholim river, which originates from Maharashra and enters Goa at Kudchirem, joins it at Karapur. By these floods the Valvonti river has sent out a distress signal.

Flood control requires an integrated understanding of hydrology and ecology of the Valvonti river basin. Controlling such floods in future needs joint monitoring and management of Valvonti’s inter-state catchments. There are natural and man-made reasons for the recent flash floods. Natural reasons may include higher rainfall intensity, bottlenecks in the silted streams feeding the tributaries and truncation of the normal flow channels. Man-made reasons could be several but the systematic destruction of the steep slopes of the Virdi hills by plantation owners in the catchment area of Valvonti is a major cause. The floods might have lasted for a few hours but the intensity and consequent damages were far greater this time than in the past. In Keri, Sattari such flash floods were experienced for the first time in 60 years, so the people were caught by surprise, especially as they took place in the night. The government thinks that longer, taller and stronger RCC embankments will control the floods. But these are of limited use if the flood water carries a heavy sediment load and acquires a higher momentum downstream. Embankments which fragment the natural flood plain could actually cause more havoc in the downstream areas.

France, England and Belgium have faced the consequences of permitting constructions on their river banks. The urban populations in these countries paid a heavy price when they reclaimed the river flood plains. People initially wanted to have a closer look of the scenic rivers. In the process large areas of the flood plains were systematically reclaimed. Hard constructions came up. Under normal precipitation conditions nothing happened. But when it poured heavily the rivers, in spate, tried to recapture their lost flood plains. Massive floods in Europe in recent times have started a debate there about the technological limits of flood control. Now the focus is to conserve and protect the natural flood plains.

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Rain plays relief rogue

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 26: The flood situation continued to be grim in the six northern districts of the state as relief and rescue operations were hampered in many areas today due to fresh downpour. S.C. Sahoo, the director of the Met office here, said a cyclonic circulation over northern Orissa triggered the downpour today. There is a possibility of rain or thundershower at many places in coastal Orissa and few places in interior Orissa in the next 24 hours. According to information from the state disaster management control room, heavy rain lashed coastal Orissa, triggering fresh flood fear on the banks of Subernarekha, Budhabalanga, Salandi and Baitarani. More than 15 lakh people were affected by the flood and heavy rain, said state disaster management minister Manmohan Samal, who visited the flood-hit Mayurbhanj district today. Samal had reviewed the situation in Bhadrak and Balasore district yesterday and had asked officials to ensure that relief material reached all those marooned. Bhadrak collector N.K. Burma told The Telegraph over phone that more than 1,000 marooned people were evacuated and assured that there was no threat to the life of residents of the town. Several parts of Bhadrak town were under the flooding waters of Salandi river, flowing above the danger-mark following release of water from Hadagarh reservoir. Some other parts of the district have also been inundated by water of Baitarani and its tributaries, said Burma, adding that over 4 lakh people had been affected by the flood. As relief material failed to reach many areas in Balasore, Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts due to inadequate deployment of boats, steps have been taken to airdrop food, medicines and clothes, sources said. In Jajpur district alone, crops on 19,284 hectares of land were damaged. Special relief commissioner N.K. Sundaray said the flood situation continued to be grim in Balasore and Bhadrak districts. A high-level official team, headed by the deputy relief commissioner, has been deputed to Balasore to oversee the relief operations. More than 27 power boats have been pressed into service for relief and rescue operations and Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force personnel had been mobilised for the purpose, said Sundaray. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had undertaken an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts yesterday.

Croc alert sounded in flooded areas of Orissa

KalingaTimes Correspondent
Kendrapara (Orissa), Sep 28: Apprehending possible straying of crocodiles into the flooded river water, the state forest department on Friday sounded caution asking people in three flood-hit blocks of this coastal district of not to venture into water bodies.

As Brahmani besides its tributary Kharasrota river are in spate, there is likelihood that estuarine crocs may stray into the flooded river from their habitat in Bhitarkanika river system, maintained Ajay Kumar Jena, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar forest division.

The water bodies in Bhitarkanika where the salt-water crocs are safely ensconced owe its origin to these rivers. These rivers meander through Bhitarkanika innumerable water bodies before plunging into confluence on the Bay of Bengal.

From the experience of past years, there is distinct possibility that crocs would march towards the flooded river water along the Aul, Rajkanika and Rajnagar tehsil.

"We have asked the tehsildars and block development officers of the concerned region on the crocs' intrusion to ensure the safety of villagers of these areas," noted Jena.

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Africa flood crisis sweeps Nigeria and Burkina

22 hours ago

LAGOS (AFP) — Floods that have made hundreds of thousands of Africans homeless across vast swathes of the continent have claimed 64 lives in Nigeria and 33 in Burkina Faso, government and aid officials said Thursday.

Nigeria's Red Cross said the death toll covered a period since mid-July, while 22,000 people have been displaced in 10 sometimes arid northern states of the most populous nation in Africa as well as in the Lagos area, the huge economic capital in the southwest.

The minister of social action and national solidarity in landlocked Burkina Faso, one of west Africa's poorest nations, said 33 people had been killed over a similar period and almost 7,500 homes had been destroyed.

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India floods Information Bulletin No.4

The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in 185 countries.

In Brief

This Bulletin is being issued for information only, and reflects the situation and the information available at this time. The Federation is not seeking funding or other assistance from donors for this operation at this time.

The Situation

Following heavy monsoon rains that led to floods in different parts of India during the months of June-July 2007, the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Gujarat and Orissa were once again hit by very heavy rainfall over the weekend of 22-23 September 2007 (sources: United Nations Development Programme and All India Radio).

Orissa: One of the hardest hit areas was Orissa where, under the influence of the depression formed over the Bay of Bengal on 21st September, most of the coastal districts experienced heavy rain for three days. On 23rd September, the depression lay over Angur district in the interior of Orissa.

As on 23rd September, five people (three in Cuttack and two in Bhubaneshwar) were reported to have been killed in the state. Large areas in six blocks of Balasore district were waterlogged. Flash floods were reported in the Budhabalanga river. In Bhadrak district, the Baitarani river crossed the danger level on 23rd September, and a breach on the embankment of the river was closed down immediately. However, the river levels have now started receding. The district administration is keeping a close vigil on the situation and has initiated relief distribution in affected areas.

According to a report prepared on the basis of inter-agency coordination, some key details of the flood situation in Orissa are as follows:

- Continuous heavy rainfall due to low pressure in the southern and coastal parts of the state has resulted in a rise of water levels in all the major river systems, except the Mahanadi system. The heavy rain in the Chhattisgarh region may have an impact on the Mahanadi river system.

- Balasore district has been affected by floods for the third time this monsoon season. Approximately 500,000 people and 415 villages were affected. The road connection has been cut off between Baliapal and Basta. Eleven fishermen were rescued from Balaramgadi.

- Approximately 200,000 people having been severely affected in Mayurbhanj district.

- River Baitarani is expected to touch the danger level in Bhadrak and Jajpur districts. Large parts of Jajpur district have been affected due to floods in the Brahmani river.

- In southern Orissa, the water levels in the two major river systems, i.e. the Bansdhara and Rishikulya, are rising, with Bansdhara being expected to touch the danger level.

- In Cuttack district, 270 mm rainfall was recorded and seven breaches have occurred in the Sapua river. About 50 feet of road has been washed away between Cuttack and Narasinghpur.

- Tidal waves affected 611 families in Kendrapara district and washed away 50 metres of sea shore in Paradeep port.

- In Jagatsinghpur district, 1,000 thatched houses were damaged due to heavy rain and areas covered under 19 village administrative units were affected.

- In Nayagarh district, heavy rain over four days cut off 21 villages from the district headquarters.

- The Special Relief Commissioner for Orissa has deployed the Orissa Disaster Relief Action Force for search and rescue in Mayurbhanj district.

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39 killed, 4.5 million affected in latest Orissa floods

Posted : Fri, 28 Sep 2007 07:33:01 GMT
Bhubaneswar, Sep 28 - More than four million people have been affected and 39 killed in the torrential rain and flash floods in Orissa in the last fortnight, the state government said Friday.Though the floodwaters have started receding in the rivers passing through the state, the situation in the worst-hit northern districts including Balasore and Bhadrak has yet to improve.A fresh spell of rain Friday caused by a depression over the Bay of Bengal off the Vishakhapatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh led to panic among the flood victims in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Mayurbhanj districts.Relief and rescue operations have been hampered due to flooding of roads in several parts of the state. A shortage of boats has added to the problem.An estimated 4.5 million people were affected by the current floods, the fourth this year, that caused havoc in 12 of the state's 30 districts including six coastal districts. The total loss from the floods has been pegged at Rs.11 billion, the state government said in a memorandum.

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Rains hamper flood relief in Orissa
Friday September 28 2007 00:07 IST

PTI

BHUBANESWAR: Relief and rescue operations were affected in six flood-hit districts of Orissa as heavy rains lashed many areas on Thursday, compounding the plight of over 28 lakh people.

Fresh rains lashed parts of Kendrapara, Cuttack, and Khurda districts this morning making it difficult for relief officials and volunteers to reach far-flung areas, official sources said.

Relief material failed to reach many areas in Balasore, Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts due to inadequate deployment of boats and heavy rains, the sources said.

In a bid to prevent possible outbreak of water-borne diseases, the district administration has launched a vigorous drive to distribute halogen tablets and disinfect water sources in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack and Khurda districts, the sources said.

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CM seeks Rs 750 crore Central help for flood relief

Statesman News Service
BHUBANESWAR, Sept. 27: Chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik today met the Union home minister Mr Shivraj Patil at New Delhi and presented a memorandum for flood assistance of Rs 750 crore.
The memorandum outlined the damages caused by the recent spell of floods.
Preliminary estimates have shown that the damages caused by the recent floods are in the range of Rs 1,085 crore.
More than 64,000 houses have been damaged and 4 lakh hectares inundated in various parts of the state this season.
This is the second such memorandum, which has been presented by the state government to the central government. The first memorandum of Rs 306 crore was submitted in July.
The chief minister impressed upon the home minister to immediately release the funds to the state government based on the earlier memorandum.
He also requested deputation of a central team for assessment of the damage.
The minister assured that the central team will visit Orissa soon.
Mr Patnaik also discussed regarding two important Bills, which are awaiting the assent of the President of India. The Bills passed by the Orissa Legislative Assembly are the Special Courts Bill and The Orissa Urban Police Bill. The Special Courts Bill empowers the state government to set up special courts to try corruption cases and to confiscate properties acquired by officials and public servants disproportionate to their known source of income.

Floods hit Orissa hard, 23 dead

Statesman News Service
BHUBANESWAR, Sept. 26: The upper air circulation over the coastal areas of the state and the forecast of more rains in the next 24 hours compounded the miseries of 26 lakh flood affected people across seven districts.
Floods have already claimed 23 lives and rendered thousands homeless. Agricultural lands remained submerged even though the rivers continued to recede for the second day today.
Official sources said relief and rescue operations are in full swing and over Rs 1.45 crore has already been released from the calamity relief fund.
People have been marooned in Balasore, where the Budhabalanga and Subernarekha rivers have become flooded. Several parts of the district have been cut off.
While complaints of relief not reaching the affected districts, the officials claimed that they had already despatched huge quantities of rice and other food stuff. There was no respite from the rains as a low pressure over the Bay of Bengal caused showers.

Repair orders
Works and Housing minister Mr AU Singh Deo today directed the departmental officers and engineers to repair the roads that have been damaged in the recent rains. Estimates show that a total of Rs 108 crore is required for the restoration work.
A review of the damages caused by floods revealed that about 204 roads under the works department in 10 districts have been affected in the rains. There have been breaches on the roads at 53 places, out of which 23 have been repaired. The repair work on the other breaches are on .
Mr Singh Deo took stock of the whole situation and the reviewed the requirement of funds for undertaking repair and restoration work.

Situation grim in Jajpur dist
Wednesday September 26 2007 14:00 IST

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

JAJPUR: Even as the water level in Baitarani began receding on Tuesday afternoon, flood situation in Bari, Jajpur, Korei and Dasarathpur blocks in Jajpur district continues to be grim for the third consecutive day.

Although the river Baitarini was flowing at 18.60 metres against the red mark of 17.83 metres on Tuesday evening, it showed a downward trend since afternoon.

The rivers Brahmani and Kharasrota were still flowing above the danger mark. Official sources said over 2.5 lakh people in 196 villages under 58 GPs have been affected.

EPIDEMIC: Over 100 persons of the flood-affected villages have been reportedly affected by diarrhoea.

Flood situation grim
Wednesday September 26 2007 13:24 IST

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

BHUBANESWAR: The recent flash floods triggered by incessant rains following a depression have so far claimed 10 lives and affected over four lakh people spread over three North Orissa districts.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas and reviewed the situation. Naveen directed the collectors of the affected districts to provide safe drinking water and ensure health services to the people.

Official sources said the loss of life is less due to the repeated prior warning and timely evacuation of around 40,000 people to safer places. The flood situation in Balasore district worsened on Tuesday with three major rivers flowing above the danger mark and inundating more areas.

Balasore Sadar, Remuna, Bahanaga, Soro, Simulia and Nilgiri blocks of Balasore district and G B Nagar, Udala, Kaptipada, Betanati, Shyamakhunta, Kuliana and Badasahi blocks of Mayurbhanj and Dhamnagar, Tihidi and Chandbali blocks of Bhadrak are the worst affected. While three each died in Bhubaneswar and Nialia area of Cuttack, two died in Udala subdivision in Mayurbhanj district due to wall collapse.

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Over 16 lakhs hit by Orissa floods

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 26 (PTI): Relief and rehabilitation measures were Tuesday stepped up in six flood-ravaged districts of Orissa where swollen rivers continued to flow above the danger mark affecting more than 16 lakh people.

Though rain's fury subsided in many places, vast areas in Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Kendrapara, Cuttack and Jajpur districts were submerged in flood waters, paralysing normal life and leaving many marooned, official sources said.

Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, who undertook an aerial survey of the affected areas, asked authorities to intensify relief work and provide medical assistance, besides carrying out rescue operations.

The flood situation remained grim in Balasore district where the Subarnarekha river was flowing around one-metre above the danger mark and water level was steadily rising, sources said, adding water level in the Budhabalanga also remained above the danger level.

Relief measures were in full swing in the district where 13 boats were pressed into service for distribution of essential items in inaccessible areas as an estimated 6.5 lakh people were affected in 12 blocks of Balasore.

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