Krishna river floods affect over 2,700,000

A massive flood on the Krishna river wreaked havoc across several districts of Andhra Pradesh, India at the start of October. Vast amounts of water  overwhelmed dams and inundated more than 400 villages. Heavy rain in upstream Karnataka has triggered the worst floods in the Krishna basin in 100 years. Over 2,700,000 people are affected in five districts of Andhra Pradesh and 63 lives have so far been lost. 

The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Rosaiah, has described the situation as “serious”. Army personnel have been deployed for relief and rescue operations. A specialised disaster management team, National Disaster Response Force from Chennai (neighboring state of Tamil Nadu) has been rushed in to the area for support.

The floods create favourable conditions for mosquitoes and heightened the risk of waterborne diseases. While the government and the local NGOs are supplying emergency medicines at the relief camps, these may not be sufficient for the likely upsurge in disease. There is a lack of sanitary protection for women, and of medical and nutritional support for children with long term conditions, such as HIV/AIDS.

Clean drinking water and general sanitation are also a cause for concern. The government is engaged in providing temporary sanitation facilities.

The majority of people who have been affected by the floods are small farmers and fishermen, who earn on a daily basis. This means that the loss of crops, equipment and infrastructure that the floods have caused will have a large and potentially long term impact.

Plan is assisting by providing food, utensils and sanitation equipment, as well as medical supplies to those with long term conditions such as HIV/AIDS. Plan has set up temporary toilets and is helping with child protection and the clearing of school buildings. Plan is also providing books, stationery and other educational tools to make sure that children’s education does not suffer substantially as a result of the floods.