Floods damage India, Cambodia and Vietnam

Mennonite Central Committee
Saturday, 21 October 2000

Rising flood waters have damaged homes and roads and destroyed crops along the Mekong River in Cambodia and Vietnam and along the Ganges and Hooghly Rivers in India. Hundreds in each country have died and hundreds more are missing.

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is giving a combined $400,000 Cdn./$270,000 U.S. for emergency flood relief in the region.

Cambodia

The worst flooding along the Mekong River in three decades has affected more than 500,000 families in 20 Cambodian provinces, according to the Canadian Red Cross. Many of these displaced families are now living on roadsides in Phnom Penh, the capital city.

MCC is providing food, seeds and agricultural tools to families in Prey Veng Province in Cambodia. MCC will also send school kits to equip damaged schools.

Vietnam

In southern Vietnam flood waters are spreading north from the Mekong Delta and are not expected to recede for two months in some low lying areas.

In An Giang Province, MCC will provide food, blankets and other material resources to flood victims.

India

In the northern state of West Bengal, flood waters washed away roads, railways and bridges. The current floods have affected more than 15 million people and damaged 1.5 million homes, according to Action by Churches Together.

Through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, MCC will provide 500 metric tons of rice to be purchased in India. MCC will also provide additional food rations and large plastic tarps for shelter.

Flooding in West Bengal this year is worse not only due to steady rains, but also to the release of water from dams along the Ganges and to increased deforestation. MCC and many of its partner agencies in Asia that provide emergency assistance after floods also work to help people protect themselves from future floods.

Every year, monsoon seasons cause widespread damage in Asia. While the yearly rains provide food and livelihood, flood waters destroy their simple mud brick homes, crops and roads and leave millions without work.

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org