Disaster
The recent mass flooding by the River Kosi has caused mass devastation in the state of Bihar (North-East India) with over 3 million people in 16 districts affected, 1 million people evacuated, thousands still missing, hundreds of villages destroyed and over 230,000 people left homeless with entire livelihoods destroyed. It is Bihar’s worst flood disaster in 50 years!
Immediate Help
3 September 2008. BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, under the guidance of Pramukh Swami Maharaj set up base camps at Katihar and Patna with teams of volunteers to gather first-hand information on the devastation and the type of relief materials required in the affected areas.
7 September 2008. BAPS started collecting and packing relief aid as informed by the BAPS team in Bihar.
10 September 2008. BAPS deployed sadhus and more volunteers (from Kolkata, West Bengal) with relief materials to Katihar. From Katihar, the BAPS team move to Madhepura, meeting the Relief Commissioner. BAPS was advised by the Government of Bihar to provide specific medicines to the medical camps organized by the Indian Army in the worst affected districts of Madhepura and Saharsa (North Bihar).
12 September 2008. BAPS was instructed to provide relief to areas still unaided by any agency or organizations in the District of Madhepura.
At present, BAPS teams are providing relief aid and help to many villages which still have waist-high waters. Sadhu Purnaprakashdas of BAPS, who is heading the BAPS team in Madhepura, said “There are still a lot of villages which still have waist-high water flowing through them. About 90% of all village people have left their villages and are staying on the main roads in tents or make-shift shelters.“
Bhavesh Patel, who is handling the BAPS transportation in Bihar said, “The difficulty with transporting the material is that many of the bridges and roads are completely damaged. Sometimes we have to use boats and even carry the material on our shoulders, wading through flood waters to reach stranded people.”
Villages Helped in the District of Madhepua (Bihar)
Padava Ghat |
Gusai Tola |
Panchhi Tola |
Rahuar |
Seema Tola |
Tulsi Badi |
Lachmania Tola |
Manik Pur |
Bind Toli |
|
Medical Help
Till date, BAPS has organized six large medical camps, treating thousands of flood-affected villages. Sadhu Purnaprakashdas further commented, “Most of the victims are suffering from fevers, stomach upsets, diarrhoea and skin allergies. Drinking water in tube-wells has become contaminated and that is why there is also an urgent need to purify drinking water.”
Medicines Already Provided
Illnesses |
Quantity |
Stomach problems |
11,570 tablets |
Diarrhoea |
4,000 tablets |
Children’s Diarrhoea |
1010 bottles |
Fever |
10,040 tablets |
Malaria |
10,000 tablets |
Cold / Flu |
6,050 tablets |
Fungus / Allergies |
2,432 tubes
1000 tablets |
Multi-vitamins |
12,000 tablets |
Dehydration |
1,190 packets |
Water purification |
15,000 tablets |
Relief Provided
BAPS provided home kits to 500 families in affected villages in the District of Madhepura. Each kit contained clothes for the entire family, food items (rice, dal, flatten rice, salt, biscuits, etc.) together with other necessities and large plastic sheets for shelter.
Counselling and Uplifting
Together with material relief aid, psychological and emotional counselling has helped victims cope with the trauma of the circumstances. BAPS sadhus and volunteers are actively counselling victims in the aftermath of the floods. Many have found inner strength to cope with the shock of the disaster. |
