Early monsoon rains have caused massive flooding and landslides in northern India’s Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh states since mid-June 2013, affecting tens of thousands of people. The state of Uttarakhand in India suffered maximum damage. More than 1,000 people have reportedly died with many more missing. Damage to bridges and roads left over 70,000 pilgrims and tourists trapped in various places.

On 24 June, CEDAR’s partner EFICOR has sent an assessment team to Uttarakhand. According to latest assessment, the affected communities need immediate help on food supplies, temporary sheltering, hygiene and health. Livelihoods have been destroyed and restoring would take at least a year. Fresh landslides and road blocks hamper the transportation and people are left without any food at homes.

	Living by the side of Mandakini river for decades in Silli Village, Viseswari Devi (a widow) never expected that her house would be washed away by flood. Her husband had built the house from his earnings and she has been living on his meagre pension. When the flood came suddenly she had to run to safety and there was no one around to help her move her belongings. Everything were lost.
	Gopal Singh owned a teashop in Ganurpani near Kedarnath. His two school going sons Ankit and Rohit were helping him in his business. He and his sons ran to the forest for safety when the flood came. Searching for food and water in the forest, the children consumed poisonous flowers and both died in the forest. While trying to seek help to save his sons he found others also battling for their lives. He left his two dead sons to help out others and providing them with water. Gopal Singh shocked at the lash flood said ‘It is unlucky for my family and others who lost their loved ones.’

From now on till the end of August, EFICOR conducts the relief operation in the worst affected district of Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts targeting 3,000 most needy families in the emergency response phase. The target beneficiaries will provide with food and non food materials such as rice, wheat flour, dal, cooking oil, salt, sugar, tea leaf, blankets, sleeping mat, bed sheet, hygiene kits, kitchen utensils and mosquito nets to sustain themselves during this time of devastation and help the family to restore their lives to normalcy. Priority will be given to woman headed households, widows, disabled, orphans and old age people.

Relief Donation

• Cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
• Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the Pay-in slip
• Visa/ Master Card (Download donation form)
• Online donation

(Please mark ‘India Flood Relief’)

[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details.
[2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts.
[3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.

Remember the India flooding in prayer

• May His comfort and protection go with the victims and those who lost their families in the flood.
• Pray for His strength that EFICOR can respond to the relief effectively and efficiently.
• Pray for safety of relief operating staff, especially those work in the worst affected area.