The international Catholic aid agency Cafod has reported that its partners are responding in all three South Asian countries worst affected by heavy monsoon floods – India, Nepal and Bangladesh, writes Ellen Teague.
More than 40 million people have been caught up in the floods and at least 1,200 people have died. Cafod and the Caritas network are providing emergency relief with an emphasis on preventing the spread of waterborne diseases through additional health, hygiene and sanitation support.
Chris Bain, director of Cafod, has described the situation as “a hidden emergency as the world’s attention focuses elsewhere, but the Church has been at the forefront of the emergency response”.
In India, where the financial capital of Mumbai was inundated, Cafod is working with Caritas India supporting families by providing temporary accommodation, food and water, and the distribution of personal hygiene and sanitation kits for women and girls. In Nepal, Caritas Nepal is providing families with cooked meals as well as clean drinking water and temporary shelter. In Bangladesh, where one third of the country is submerged, Caritas Bangladesh is providing emergency support in all eight dioceses.
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