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.

Uganda: Don't Send Cash to Flood-Stricken African Countries

The Monitor (Kampala)

COLUMN
3 October 2007
Posted to the web 2 October 2007

Austin Ejiet

When hurricane Katrina struck the coast of the state of Louisiana, practically annihilating the poorer districts of the city of New Orleans, the Uganda government quickly mobilised and sent some $100,000 as its contribution towards the relief effort.

An attempt by obese men and women here in Kampala to organise a charity walk in aid of the victims was quietly abandoned amidst sniggers of derision from an increasing cynical population.

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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.

Close shave for Orissa MLA as relief boat capsizes	RSS

KalingaTimes Correspondent
Kendrapara (Orissa): A mechanised boat carrying relief material, which Pattamundai MLA Kishore Chandra Tarai had boarded, capsized in the flooded Brahmani river near Malapatana-Manikpur village of this
district late Monday evening.

As luck would have it, eight person on board including Tarai and Nishikanta Pradhan, chairman Pattamundai Panchayat Samiti had a close
shave.

The survivors swam to safety while the sunken boat and the relief materials could not be retrieved, according to official sources.

Both the MLA and Panchayat Samiti Chairman sustained injuries on leg and head. The injury, however, was of minor nature.

The ill-fated vessel was caught in strong current of floodwaters and developed technical snags. Later it stopped moving.

The group on the board got panicky resulting in the capsisal of the boat, added sources.

The team led by Tarai was on its way to flood affected villages to distribute relief materials among the people.

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.

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.

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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Rain havoc continues in Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal
By NI Wire	Views:30
New Delhi	Comments:0

Sep 26: Heavy rains in the last 48 hours have completely paralysed the life in eastern Indian states Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal. Most coastal regions of Orissa and West Bengal have completely submerged with water making it really worse for the normal life of people.

In Orissa the six coastal districts Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jajpur and Bhadrak are most affected with torrential rains that forced lakhs of people leave their residence as river continues to cross the danger mark.

The state administration have so far arranged all possible relief and rescue operation but it’s difficult for those lakhs of villagers to take shelter in maroon land. As Subarnarekha, Brahmani and Baitarani rivers are running above the danger mark the villages comes under its limits including the district Balasore.

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Uganda: Govt to Cost Flood Impact

East African Business Week (Kampala)

24 September 2007
Posted to the web 25 September 2007

David Mugabe
Kampala

Despite the devastating effects of the recent torrential floods in parts of Uganda, the Ugandan government has made no official estimates of the economic costs.

Uganda's state minister for disaster preparedness, Mr. Musa Ecweru told East African Business Week last Thursday that it was still difficult to estimate the economic cost of the damage.

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Africa: FAO Pledges Support to Flood-Affected Countries

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Rome)

25 September 2007
Posted to the web 25 September 2007

Rome

FAO Director-General Dr Jacques Diouf pledged today that FAO will bring all its resources and experience to support flood-affected countries in Africa in rehabilitating their damaged agricultural sector.

"FAO is making every effort to immediately assess the damage the floods have caused to farmers and their livelihoods and is mobilizing resources to assist them in resuming their farming activities," Dr Diouf said.

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UNICEF Humanitarian Action Update South Asia floods 25 Sep 2007

UNICEF IS RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN IN THE AREAS OF HEALTH AND NUTRITION, WATER AND SANITATION, EDUCATION AND CHILD PROTECTION

- Heavy floods and landslides in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan have affected millions of children and their families.

- Thousands of villages have been marooned, leaving millions of people displaced.

- While flood waters have begun to recede, the threat from hunger, disease and malnutrition continues for the affected populations.

- UNICEF’s biggest priority is to prevent serious disease outbreaks and to protect the health and nutritional status of women and children. UNICEF also focuses on getting children back to school.

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Flood situation critical in Orissa districts	RSS

KalingaTimes Correspondent Bhubaneswar/Balasore, Sep 25: With Subarnarekha and Baitarani rivers continuing to flow above the danger mark, flood situation remained critical in hundreds of villages across Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts of Orissa on Tuesday. As lakhs of people continued to suffer in the marooned villages, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made an aerial survey of the flood-ravaged areas during the day.

Patnaik has instructed the District Collectors of the affected districts to step up relief and rescue operations. The Chief Minister also asked the authorities concerned to disinfect the drinking water sources in the flood affected regions and activate the healthcare system to provide timely medical help to the people. By Tuesday evening, Budhabalanga, Jalaka and Kansabansha rivers in Balasore district had started receding slowly. But Subarnarekha, the main cause of worry for north Balasore, was above the danger mark at Jamsolaghat and Rajghat.

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CM orders early repair of roads

Statesman News Service
BHUBANESWAR, Sept. 24: The chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik today instructed for an early repairing of roads in the flood-affected areas and to keep a vigil on the situation, as another depression is apprenhed to form over the Bay of Bengal.
Mr Patnaik was reviewing the flood situation in the state in a high level meeting here today.
It has been found in the meeting that after the heavy downpour in the last few days due to the depression formed over the Bay of Bengal, many parts of the Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj districts have been inundated by floods in the Subarnarekha, Baitarani and the Budhabalanga rivers.
The districts collectors have been instructed to provide relief materials for three days.
The special relief commissioner informed that as the water is receding, normalcy will be back within a day or two.
It was also informed that the flood condition in the Mahanadi river has already been brought under control.

Centre promises adequate assistance to State for flood relief work
Special Correspondent

Shivraj Patil and Radhika Selvi review damage caused by rain and floods

BANGALORE: The Union Government on Sunday assured the State Government of providing adequate financial assistance to take up relief and rehabilitation work in 14 flood-affected districts of the State.

Union Minister Home Shivraj Patil reviewed the damaged caused by rain and floods in north Karnataka and said, “The Union Government will definitely look into the demands of the State and try to provide enough financial assistance to undertake relief work. Money is not a problem, equipment is not a problem. Please don’t worry. Money will come to you (State).”

Loss

The State Government has estimated the loss at Rs. 1,000 crore. Forty-one people and 368 heads of cattle died and 72,028 houses were damaged in the recent rain and floods. Standing crops in 2.42 lakh hectares of land were destroyed. Many roads, bridges and buildings were damaged and 213 villages were inundated in the State.

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Catwalk Of Fame

Stars Strut Their Stuff To Raise Cash For Flood Victims

By Laura Coventry

THE great, the good and the downright gorgeous strutted their stuff at a glitzy fashion show in aid of flood victims.

Hollywood actor Christian Slater joined music and soap stars - and a couple of royals - in leading the charge at the Fashion For Relief event.

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Uganda: Sh75b Needed for Flood Victims

New Vision (Kampala)

21 September 2007
Posted to the web 22 September 2007

Kampala

The humanitarian community has launched a $43m (sh75b) appeal for urgent assistance to 300,000 people affected by the floods in northern, eastern and central Uganda, writes VISION REPORTER.

"We are here today as one humanitarian community to call for support in addressing the devastation left behind by the rising tide of water," said Theophane Nikyema, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Uganda, as he launched the appeal in Soroti yesterday.

"Already we have accomplished a good deal through our joint response." He noted that shelter and household goods had been distributed to more than 5,000 families, while more than 15,000 households had received assistance for clear drinking water and more than 30,000 people had benefited from food deliveries.

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NK Expresses Gratitude to Seoul Over Flood Aid

North Korea expressed gratitude to South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun for sending a letter of condolences over recent floods that reportedly ruined 10 percent of the communist country's cropland, a South Korean official said Saturday.

Citing massive rain-caused floods in late August thatreportedly left more than 600 people killed or missing, North Korea had postponed until early October a scheduled inter-Korean summit of leaders in its capital in late August.

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