Uttarakhand flood response - Save the Children

1June - July 2013

Reaching out to the affected in Uttarakhand

The Himalayan ‘tsunami’1) The biggest flood in India - During 16-18 June 2013, a multi-

day cloudburst centered on the north Indian state of Uttarakhand caused devastating floods and landslides in the country's worst natural disaster since the Tsunami in 2004.

2) According to figures provided by the Uttarakhand Government, more than 5,700 people were "presumed dead."

Some Statistics at a Glance:

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Estimated no .of people missing5,748

Estimated no. of children missing 1,227

Estimated no. of children out of school 250,000

Estimated no. of pregnant women reached 577

Estimated no. of safe deliveries 141

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Tilwara village (Rudraprayag)

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No cement could save homes that day in Silli

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Vijaynagar: Saraswati Shishu Mandir was here!

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Roads that can cave in anytime

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…and do!

A family on the run …

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Forced separation of families has taken place in areas where relief has been scarce…Dhirendra Lal, 42-years-old, is a father who has hitch-hiked over 20 kms. from a village called Chandrapuri with his son and two daughters. His wife has stayed back in the village with an infant daughter. He is now on his way to Gunou village, which is 10 kms away but for which he can find transport, to leave his children with his in-laws who live there. How has the trauma affected his family and the children? “The children scream at night,” Lal informs. Ankita, the elder of the two daughters, tells about her reaction to the floods. “I ran and ran and continued running. It felt as if the water was chasing me forever.” What does the boy Ankush need now, the most? “A home,” he replies, “somewhere where I can be safe from floods and stay with my parents.”

When the heavens wept…This 70-year-old widow received food & hygiene kits in Silli.

“What kind of aid do you want now?” She replied, “A place to stay. Though I have many relatives and friends around here who have known me for many years and who are kind to me, ultimately I will need a place of my own again, won’t I?”

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Where there are no roads…

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Where there were no roads left…

…we Made the road by Walking

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Latha Caleb, Program Director, in Silli

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No roads, no homes, no schools, no markets…

Immediate Response

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Coordinated with state Inter Agency Unit & local partners for assessment to launch rapid response. Rapid Assessment Team was in affected areas within 3 days of disaster i.e. from 20 June. We now have 2 Base Offices in Dehradun and Rishikesh (with a Warehouse) and 4 District Offices

Our partner NGOs -- Anchal Charitable Trust & Navjyoti Development Society have field offices & on-going programmes in Dehradun, Rishikesh & Haridwar; & experience in humanitarian response as well as DRR

Some Challenges

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Our Team enroute to Kewal Gaon crossing several landslides

• Hilly terrain with road connectivity affected. Too many landslides in the last one week

• Road connectivity severely devastated in worst affected areas• Rains and bad weather impede the rescue and relief operations of

Government and NGOs• Enormous distance from where the stocks have to be transported and

delivered

Some Challenges - Landslides

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Some Challenges - Landslides

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Some Challenges - Landslides

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Because children can’t wait…

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…but we get there!

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…with relief for the most affected

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Save – Among the 1st to respond

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Save reached remote areas

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Humanitarian Response shared with CM

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Ray Kancharla, National Humanitarian – DRR Manager of Save the Children met with Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Vijay Bahuguna. CM spoke with Avinash who was leading team in Chamoli

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Children in Silli village…

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…among Save 1st beneficiaries in Silli

Four teams – 4 locations

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Save the Children +

Partner Staff+

Doctors

Rapid Assessment underway

Save the Children +

Partner staff

Save the Children +

Partner staff

Relief work:

• 1,418 Households in 24 villages have received the family kits

• Food Basket for 1 month for 10,000 Households• Hygiene & Household kits for 10,000 Households• Blankets/Tarpaulin sheets• Health camps: In all the 4 districts and 120 villages• Child-Friendly Spaces/Temporary Learning Centres set

up. Our overall target of CFS/TLC is 40 in 4 districts• Cash transfers (Coming Up) Save the Children will provide cash by

way of 50 day’s MGNREGS entitlement at the rate of INR 142 Each vulnerable household will be entitled to INR 7,100 (124.56$)

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All India team

• Save the Children has deployed a Team from across India for carrying out Humanitarian work for the Uttarakhand crisis…

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1st on the ground, 1st in media too!• TV: Aaj Tak, Tez, NDTV, CNN-IBN, Headlines Today, ETV,

German TV, BBC, Al Jazeera etc• Print: Times of India, Dainik Jagran, Hindu, Amar Ujala,

Hindustan, India Today, Sahara Times, local dailies such as Nutan Savera etc

• Online: Reuters, IANS, One World South Asia, Merinews, Business Standard, Pioneer, One India News, IBN Live, MSN, Manorama, First Post, Calcutta News, DNA, Zee News etc

• Radio: BBC World Service(Many journalists accompanied to field by media team -- which ensures

that media coverage continues beyond the Breaking News)

Our Partners

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Save the Children has partnered with 2 organizations for Humanitarian Response

Anchal Charitable Trust Navjyoti Development Society

Our Website

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For More Information you can log on to

http://www.savethechildren.in/

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Our Social mediahttp://www.facebook.com/india.savethechildren

https://twitter.com/stc_india

Some reader responses

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Some Motivational messages left by people on our FB page appreciating and showing support to our efforts in Uttarakhand:• Shilpa Jabin Bangari: you all are incredible, I hope I could do just a bit of

what you all are doing!! ..Keep it going. –cheers

• Annapurna Sirisha Vadlamani: Thank you very much for supporting the survivors. Your courage and selfless service is the only ray of hope for many out there. Thanks once again.

• Raden Jals: Amazing work to risk your life voluntarily...!!

• Gayatri Mohan Murty: Incredible courage is what you need at moments such as this and loads of best wishes for all your endeavours.

• Sajal Kanti Samanta: We All are with you.... SC Team at Uttarakhand....

Videos

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Save the Children’s vehicle carrying relief materials had to be pushed through a Landslide by an Earth Mover in the Chamoli area http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT1-Otqh1Rg A Landslide in progresshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k-oDHKsafwhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drl9j4fXYe0 Local people trying to make their way through a Landslide in the areahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtnhsVS47xg

Video for Relief distribution in progress at Joshimath in Chamoli district http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKjB_JgipwE

Sitreps

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Situation Report (Sitreps) are being produced on every alternate day for the audience – initially once daily

Currently we are on Sitrep 13

For more info:• For Donations, please visit www.savethechildren.in or call 011-66141335• Website: www.savethechildren.in• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/india.savethechildren• Twitter: https://twitter.com/stc_india

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Thank You

“We know it's impossible only if we make it so. It's impossible only if we refuse to attempt it" -- Eglantyne Jebb (Founder, Save the Children)

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