ACT Alliance members in the mountainous northern Indian state of Uttarakhand are concerned about the plight of thousands of hill people following intense flooding and landslides that left at least 1000 people dead.
Worst–affected areas are bracing for further heavy rain in the next 48 hours, as army personnel gradually bring people down from the hills and offer emergency food and shelter.
Head of Emergency at CASA, an Indian ACT Alliance member, Nirmal Singh, says the army is struggling to rescue tens of thousands of visitors to the district, pilgrims to the many holy sites of the region who were caught out by fierce storms. Some 50,000 people remain stranded and 14,000 are missing, with others mourning loss of family.
“Most relief has centered around people from outside the area, with the priority being the pilgrims rather than the hill people. While the hill people are better survivors and both groups should receive attention, resources are going to the pilgrims which ordinarily would be meant for the hill people.”
The effort of rescuing scores of visitors was a huge drain on resources and the window for rescue was only open another couple of days, Singh said. Another heavy downpour was forecast for Sunday, before the region entered its traditional rainy season and then the winter period.
Once CASA had finished assessing for damage and had established people’s needs, the priority would be to bring in food and shelter materials such as tarpaulins. CASA has already begun offering emergency meals for about 500 hill people at government-run shelters and would escalate relief once funds arrived.
“These are people really in need but we need some assurance of funds. So much needs to be done. We would like to set up temporary kitchens at the relief camps, and offer temporary shelter, tarpaulins that can guard against the rain.”
CASA is working in worst-affected Rudraprayag district, which is laced with networks of rivers and streams running downstream. “Here it gets a bit dicey, the water comes down with force. We really don’t know how many people have been affected. Looking at the shrines damaged in the towns, the hotels, public infrastructure we can see a lot of damage although few assessment teams are getting to the villages and hamlets in the hills.”