240 Die in India as Monsoons Follow Drought

Each year, nearly 2,000 people are killed from receding flood waters that breach the banks of neighboring towns in India. In early October, after four days of heavy rainfall, India experienced its highest volume in 45 years, killing more than 240 people and affecting almost 2 million people that are now left homeless. Of the 240 people that were killed some were trapped under fallen houses, a number were washed away in the floods or others were buried under landslides. The rushing water combined with the dry land of the drought, created for a flash flood that poured over dams, destroying thousands of homes, engulfing agricultural land, and forcing families to flee from their homes. The floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains and torrential downpours have inundated villages and caused widespread disruption in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Reports have indicated that not only have 4,800 villages been submerged and destroyed, but crops are ruined and thousands of cattle are dead

In India about 60 percent of the working population relies on the land to make a living. In both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, vegetable crops have been badly hit by the previous drought and are now suffering from the season’s floods. Not only will this directly affect the large population of agricultural workers, but high food prices will threaten India’s economy as a whole. For those that have been badly hit by the flood there is nothing to eat and nothing to drink, nor is it evident when there will be. For those that are caught in the extreme weather, there is more concern about their survival. Beside the economic toll, there is a humanitarian one too. Some people were even stuck in trees for two days without food or water. Not only is there worry about the Indian diet, but 750,000 children will become exposed to disease from the dirty water. They are in desperate need of clean water, medical care, and food. Without strengthened efforts to help these flood hit districts, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, are at threat of an outbreak of diarrhea and other water borne illnesses that may further risk the lives of children. Efforts including the Lutheran World Service India proposal, a nine month relief program, intends to provide food, water and sanitation, temporary shelter, and awareness campaigns about preparing for disaster, but the people of India can expect that it will take some time to fully recover from this natural event.

Source:Kumar, Hari. “240 Die in India as Monsoons Follow Drought,” New York Times. 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/world/asia/06india.html