Plan India, New Delhi

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PLAN INDIA COUNTRY OFFICE

INTERNAL SITUATION REPORT

PLAN ASIA REGION

 

Situation Report 2

Bihar Floods

 6^th September 2008

 

Situation:

 

BIHAR STATE, INDIA

 

• Light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy falls has been reported in a few parts of the State during the last 24 hours
• On 18.08.2008, a long embankment was swept away at Kushaha in Nepal, about 7 km away from the Kosi River Barrage in Birpur, Supaul District, Bihar, India
• Due to the above breach, river Kosi has reportedly change course and shifted over 120 km eastwards
• As a result, large area of Districts of Supaul, Madhepur Araria, Katihar and Saharsa have been severely affected and hundreds of communities have totally or partly submerged in water

• 60 households of Baghakol village in Plan Partner Nav Jagriti’s area in Maker Block of Saran District have been impacted.

 

 

 

 

Plan’s India’s Response:

 

Plan India has started a limited and focused response operation to the Bihar flood situation in Supaul district ,Triveniganj Block Dafarka Canal an isolated and cutoff population of around 40000 people who are living in an embankment and are yet unreached by either government or civil society.  Plan has already dispatched 10 lakh halazone tablets, 650 kilograms of carbolic acid [to prevent snake and insect bites], 2.5 tons of bleaching powder and 20 life jackets. Plan has raised 25000 soaps through corporate donations and the consignment will be sent early next week. Plan India staff have contributed one day of their wage to the response operations. A lot of effort is also being put in to raise funds through local sources.

 

On the ground, the interventions are planned through 3-5 Camps sites in three districts with local NGO partnership:

 

·        Supaul District which is badly impacted with 15 of 18 blocks under water where we intend to reach 4000 people initially and scale up to 6000 people.

·        Madhepura district Block Alam Nagar 2500 people and scale up to about 4000.

·        Saharsa, Block Sonbarsa, approximate 3000 people.

 

At the Camp Sites

 

·        People are crowded in camps on high ground in community buildings and road sides.

·                    Health needs are not adequately being met. Stagnant water is creating difficulties in access.

·        There is some distribution of plastic sheeting.

·        People are living in close proximity with there animals.

·        There is no electricity and inadequate light through candles is creating difficulties.

·        No privacy for women.

·        No safe spaces for children.

 

Water and Sanitation:

 

• Water sources are few and hand pumps far in between.
•  People are drinking contaminated water. Provision of safe water is an urgent need.
• Widespread open air defecation.
• No solid waste management.
• No vector control.

 

Child Protection

 

• No protected space available.
• Two cases of trafficking attempts in Supaul District Child prevented by Kopal partner Mandan Bharati rescued children are handed over to there families.
• This area has been in the news for trafficking through the Indo Nepal border.

 

Livelihood:

• Livelihoods completely destroyed. Calculations not yet arrived at by the government.
• Since people are still in high places they have not been able to assess there damage.
•  Some livestock has been rescued but there is lack of fodder.

 

Food:

 

• Food insecurity at household level is quite high.
• People’s own stocks are running out and community kitchens are inadequate / do not reach all.

 

 In many relief camps, host populations, including youth groups, local NGOs and trade associations, are distributing both cooked food and ready to eat meals.

 

The Plan’s emergency response is planned in three phases:

 

PHASE I Meeting basic needs [has been initiated]

·        Setting up of child protection committees./Happy sad boxes

·        Provision of cooked food for a week and dry rations for a month.

·        Tarpaulins for shelter.

·        Setting up of child friendly spaces.

·        Supply of Bleaching powder and Halogen tablets.

 

PHASE 2 [will be initiated by next week]

·        Construction of temporary toilets.

·        Distribution of hygiene and family kits.

·        Identifying reconstruction needs and priorities.

 

PHASE 3 [will be initiated and implemented from 3^rd month onwards]

 

·        Designing an intervention plan around trafficking and protection/ UBR.

·        Designing intervention plan around reconstruction of livelihoods.

·        Designing a child centered DRR intervention.