EHA

Update on EHA-EGF AP Flood Relief Response for 1500 families

29th October 2009

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Situation Report:
The massive flood in the Krishna, Tungabhadra & Handry Rivers, wreaked havoc in 5 districts of Andhra Pradesh (Kurnool, Mahboobnagar, Krishna, Guntur and Nalgonda) heavily affecting a huge population of 16.46 lakhs in 565 villages killing 63 people (reported thus far and many missing), damaging 74000 houses and perishing more than 20000 cattles in last 4 days beginning from 2nd October 2009. This has been the heaviest flood in these rivers including River Krishna ever in more than 100 years (Source: As on October 7, 2009: Special Commissioner Relief, Government of A.P.).

The Kurnool district administration was not prepared for this sudden and heavy flooding affecting 90% of the Old Town of Kurnool (main whole sale market of the district with heavy stocks of food and supplies). One of the reasons as said may be due to huge amount of water being released from Nagarjunasagar dam and Vijayawada's Prakasam Barrage.

Residents said they had hardly any time to collect the valuables, documents, clothes, utensils, livestock, provisions etc. The property loss is likely to run into hundred of crores of rupees in Kurnool town alone, as shops, houses and godowns were inundated. Thousands of tons of black cotton soil, carried from the fields in Pathikonda and Kodumur area, were deposited on the streets and in numerous homes and it may take several weeks to clear the mess.

Just weeks ago, most parts of Andhra Pradesh were suffering from severe drought.

Relief Response in Kurnool District:
Kurnool district suffered the most with more than 34 mandals, 190 villages were completely marooned affecting a heavy population of more than 5.2 lakhs. More than 45000 houses were damaged with above 20000 livestock lost.

The rapid needs assessment by EHA during the first week of flood (5-8 Oct. 09) highlighted the following needs bringing notice of the district level authorities through the District Level Emergency Coordination meeting held on 9th Oct at the Collector's office chaired by the Collector:

1. Visited 2 villages under Nandikutri constituency and the old town area of Kurnool interacting with flood victims as part of the needs assessment exercises.
2. Shared concern with the State level IAG (Sphere led Inter Agency Group) at Hyderabad highlighting the need of district level coordination, availability of basic data. EHA-EGF actively took part in District level Emergency Coordination meetings with Mr. John P Victor representing EHA, sharing proposed intervention in health, dry food ration, dignity & hygiene kits in rural and unreached villages following the need assessment made by EHA and EGF. Following are the highlights of the assessment report-
   
   • Need of war footing WatSan exercise in Old Town, Kurnool where a total of 3.50 lakhs population heavily (they lost everything) affected.
   • Temporary shelters need to be titled as 'Relief camps' with all basic relief camp facilities like, safe drinking water, sanitation & hygiene support, cooked meals, medical camps.
   • Immediately reach out the marooned villages with packaged water and ready-to-eat food and provide bleaching powder to all the affected villages to prevent post disaster health concerns as well as chances of outbreak of epidemics.
   • Need to set up NGO coordination in the district level to avoid duplication of relief supports and ensuring fair distribution of relief materials to rural and unreached areas;
3. Participated national level Emergency Coordination meeting on South India Floods in Delhi on 13th Oct 09, as Sphere member.
4. Discussed with local stakeholders with the possibility of exploring implementation partnership at the local level including Evangelical Graduate Fellowship (EGF) and Churches of South India, Kurnool.

With the initial commitment from Medical Team International, EHA decided to go ahead providing dry food ration (rice 30kgs; lentil 3kgs; edible oil 1ltr; salt 3kgs; tamarind 500gms; chilli powder 100gms; turmeric powder 200gms) and medical camp for 500 families (with special focus on women, children and elderly) with EGF as local implementing partner. Baptist Global Response later agreed to add up another 1000 families for dry food ration.

Disaster Management & Mitigation Unit (DMMU) of EHA coordinated the week-long relief operation in Kurnool starting on 22nd October 2009 with active supports from Mr. John P Victor, as the Relief In-charge and Mr. CH Harold as Field Coordinator of EGF Kurnool. The phase I relief operation began on 23rd October by 15 EGF volunteers visiting door to door finally identifying 500 families in the villages of Pothulpadu and Chabolu. As per the announcement the distribution was successfully conducted on 25th of October 2009 with the support of 30 volunteers and senior EGF members. These villages consist of 95% scheduled caste and other backward communities and their main sources of income is daily labor. Most of the villagers have not only lost their shelter completely but also their livelihoods.

The 3 doctor medical team saw approximately 300 patients. 236 of them are from the focused groups like women, children and elderly. Basic medicines were provided to all the patients. The medical relief team leader Dr. BS Isaac Ebenezer ruled out signs of epidemic though most of the patients have complaints of alimentary and respiratory problems.

The Yerramattam and Musalimadugu villages under Kothapali mandal is about 125 kms from Kurnool is very highly affected as the villages were completely marooned for more than 4 days destroying their house and livelihood. Both these villages consist of scheduled castes, backward communities and other minorities. Sources from villages says that government support did not reach to them. Different interested groups provided relief to their target communities alone leaving villagers hungry and frustrated. Dry food ration (similar packets from phase I) has been provided to 1000 families on 28th October 2009, with supports from the Baptist Global Response in phase II.

Relief Protocol:
Finalization of areas/villages is done only after the visit of EHA representative along with local partner verifying the followings:

• villages declared as highly affected by the State/District administration
• Inter Agency Coordination meeting report (basically Sphere reports)
• local news papers/ other present NGOs/ website reports by INGOs etc.
• supports reached by govt
• supports reached by any other relief agencies or local NGOs
• whether the supports were systematically and adequately provided
• do people need more
• backward communities
• poor community (landless, daily laborer) etc.

Relief materials including food items was finalized on the basis of the feedback we have interacting with the common villagers. EHA purchase protocols were followed for purchases. The major purchases are approved by the Core Relief Team. The members are from EGF chaired by Mr. John P Victor, Edwin Paul, S Veeraswami, CH Harold, BS Isaac Ebenezer and EHA representative.

The overall relief processes (survey as well as distribution) was done with the information of the District Collector as well as local village panchayat leader. The village panchayat leaders expressed their satisfaction over the systematic way the survey (provide tokens after collecting basic data) and the distribution (based on the verification of the issued tokens) was conducted with a letter of appreciation handed over at the end of the distribution.

Two local media covered the relief operation while TV5 a local channel also covered the relief distribution.

Report submitted by:
Peniel Malakar
Coordinator. Emergency Flood Relief, Kurnool. Andhra Pradesh