CONTEXTSince early August extreme monsoon floods in Indiarsquos southwestern state of Kerala have killed more than 400 people and displaced over 145 million

When water reached danger levels at 27 dams it was decided their gates should be opened resulting in the widespread destruction of infrastructure and homes and the inundation of agricultural land

The state government has reported extensive flood and landslide damage to crops and property Rivers have overflowed and air rail and road transportation have been disrupted

State officials estimate that more than 200 landslides have occurred and close to 20000 houses have been destroyed along with thousands of miles of roads Eleven of the statersquos 14 districts were affected with the worst-off being Wayanad Malappuram Idukki Palakkad Kozhikode Kottayam and Alappuzha

The government has provided shelter for 167000 people across 1000 camps and is also providing food and basic monetary compensation

TAMIL NADU

KARNATAKA

KERALA

I N D I AKERALA FLOODS

EMERGENCY APPEAL AUGUST | 2018

Catholic Relief Services and its local Catholic partners respond to help families in India where floods have destroyed homes killed more than 400 people and displaced over 145 million

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ldquo People say they have never witnessed so much rain in their lifetimes Many have had their homes washed away by landslides Others are coming back to find their homes in complete ruin

Jomey Joseph CRS head of office Chennai

Many families have taken shelter with neighbors or relatives and in parish halls churches and other facilities This makes it difficult to estimate the true number of displaced people

The rapid onset of the flooding meant that many families experienced damage to or

destruction of a lifersquos worth of assets including their homes furniture and legal documents Homes built out of mud and cement suffered the most damage

Livestock a main source of income for many were also lost to the floodwaters

People are evacuated from a flood-stricken area in the coastal city of Kochi in Kerala Photo by XinhuaAlamy Live News

HOW TO HELP Donate to help families affected by the Kerala floods

n Donate online donatecrsorg

n Donate by phone 1-877-HELP-CRS

n Donate by check Catholic Relief Services PO Box 17090 Baltimore Maryland 21297-0303

PRIORITY NEEDSAs waters recede families are moving back to their homes With many wells contaminated by floodwaters priorities include cleaning water facilities to ensure safe drinking water as well as providing families with living supplies and support for their shelter recovery

Farmers have also suffered a blow especially in Idukki where most families depend on cash crops such as cardamom and pepper which have been completely uprooted In Wayanad 37 colonies of tribal peoplemdashwho are isolated and marginalizedmdashwere among those impacted Some tribal people prefer to continue living in their damaged houses rather than going into the camps Debt-ridden farmers have now lost their entire livelihoods as the floods washed away their harvests

CRS AND PARTNER RESPONSE CRS and our local partners have carried out assessments in Palakkad Idukki and Wayanad districts and have prioritized urgent relief for Wayanad because it is one of the worst-affected districts and has been isolated due to damaged roads Also the districtrsquos large tribal population is among the most socioeconomically marginalized sections of the society

CRS and our partners are coordinating closely with the district administration Caritas and the local Church and other active nongovernmental organizations in the area

Immediate assistanceCRS has initiated emergency assistance to 2200 families or 8800 people with the following

n Shelter kits Tarpaulins plastic matting rope and thick blankets At the distributions families will receive an orientation from staff on the proper methods for securing the tarpaulin to existing roof structures or to frames made from salvaged materials

n Hygiene kits and water storage and treatment kits Hygiene kits will include soap washing powder antiseptic liquids and sanitary napkins Materials will include illustrations and instructions in the local language to promote adherence to new practices Messages will emphasize the use of tools and materials recipients may be less familiar with such as those for water treatment Hygiene promotion will focus on proper handwashing at key times and safe water collection storage and treatment

n Household items Buckets with lids ladles and chlorine tablets

A submerged home in Wayanad an inland district known for its tea plantations Photo by Shailendra Pattanaik for CRS

While some relief materials are sourced elsewhere due to lack of availabilitymdashsuch as tarps from Chennaimdashmost are bought locally in the affected areas This maximizes cost efficiency reduces transportation costs ensures timeliness in meeting the immediate lifesaving needs of vulnerable groups and supports local vendors and economies At each distribution event arrangements will be made to support the use of the relief items by vulnerable people such as by giving them priority in distribution lines and transporting the items for those who cannot easily carry them

Long-term recoveryBased on further assessments and a clearer understanding of assistance to be provided by the government CRS will support families with long-term recovery likely with a focus on housing rehabilitation and reconstruction and strengthened or recovered livelihoods for the most vulnerable including tribal families

$425000IS BEING SOUGHT BY CRS TO CARRY OUT THESE

RELIEF AND RECOVERY ACTIVITIES