Survivors of the recent flooding in northern India have been telling of their resulting hardships and how Tearfund partners were able to help them.
Monsoon rains in June caused extensive flooding in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, leaving 500 people dead and 5,000 others missing.
Two Tearfund partners, the Emmanuel Hospital Association and Eficor, responded by organising distributions of food, hygiene items, cooking utensils, blankets and tents to the badly affected districts of Tehri, Rudraprayag and Chamoli.
Among those helped was 70-year-old Mrs Chhotidevi, a widow without family, who lives on a pension equivalent to just £5 a month.
The flooding disrupted pension payments and left her unable to buy food: ‘I used to beg and people were giving me left over food,’ Mrs Chhotidevi recalls.
‘But Eficor gave me good quality food. I will not forget Eficor, may the Lord bless Eficor.’
Counselling
An indication of the devastating power of the floods is provided by 40-year-old Anil Bhatt, a father-of-two and businessman from Vijaynagar village who owned six shops.
He said, ‘Water from the river Mandankini came in with huge force and took away my house, shops, and even my land. Within a few hours I was left with the clothes on my body and nothing else.
‘The relief kit is comprehensive and very useful. I thank your organisation for this timely help.’
Lalsingh Pawar, 60, lost two grown up sons who were swept away in the torrents of flood waters.
With so many families losing loved ones to the floods, partner teams are also offering counselling to the bereaved.
Mr Pawar said his family were going through very testing times, but after Eficor counselling visits they were now able to start thinking about moving forward in life.
