A church agency in India has provided support for the victims of the unusually long and heavy monsoon rains that claimed at least 537 lives. Over two million people have been affected by the floods.
The monsoon began in Kerala in early June and has hit six other states, the Federal National Emergency Response Centre reported.
The monsoon in Kerala weakened as it spread to other states but rains continued to lash the coastal state even on July 31 with several of its small rivers in spate and the Idukki Dam near capacity.
Floods affected Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Assam states, causing landslides, electrocution and drowning claiming most deaths, and affecting at least two million people in hundreds of inundated villages.
Caritas India provided immediate relief to flood-affected people, supporting 3,700 families with kits with drinking water, sanitation and hygiene products.
The church agency also provided food kits for 1,400 families in Assam, said Anjan Bag, who manages disaster intervention at Caritas India.
Food kit includes rice, pulses, salt, cooking oil, soybean and biscuits, and each kit can feed a family of four for three weeks.
The hygiene kit includes two plastic buckets, a plastic mug, antiseptics, bathing soap, washing soap, disinfection tablets, sanitary pads, toothpaste, toothbrushes, cloths and two double mosquito nets for a family of four.
The agency has spent 3 million rupees on flood relief.
"Special medical teams have been formed from Catholic hospitals, while rescue teams comprising Catholic volunteers are out in the field to support affected people," Fr Varghese Vallikkatt, spokesman for Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council, told ucanews.com.
"We face a very grim situation in the state as rain continues and more and more areas are getting floods," he added.
