Millions in need of emergency aid.
Aid and development agency CARE International today announced its plans to provide food, shelter and medicines to 80,000 families - one million people - affected by the flooding in India’s north-eastern state of Bihar.
This follows a request from the government of the State of Bihar. Early monsoons and record rainfall have caused Bihar’s major rivers to burst their banks, causing at least 55 deaths and affecting more than 3.8 million people.
Many have lost their homes and do not have enough food or clean drinking water. They also risk contracting waterborne diseases such as malaria and cholera.
The flooding, which is concentrated in northern Bihar along the border with Nepal, has also affected more than 900,000 acres of farm land and caused extensive crop damage.
Additional rainfall is predicted over the next few weeks, and the plight of millions is expected to worsen.
"Flooding in a densely-populated area such as Bihar has very serious consequences," says Will Day, national director at CARE International UK. "Initially CARE International will provide emergency supplies for people who have lost everything, before assessing what needs to be done in the long-term."
