As the wrath of the initial cyclonic winds and waves subsides, the new challenge facing the population of Odisha is massive flooding. The Indian Red Cross team that visited villages of Bedhakandola, Bandhanmuna and Tainla found that access to these areas is now only by boat, which are very few in number.

The flood water has entered houses and people are forced to take shelter on the roofs.

People are forced to take shelter on rooftops due to massive flooding

As availability of fuel declines, very few care to boil the water they consume. They are defecating in the water surrounding their homes and in many cases consuming the dirty water for their daily needs. Many thatched houses have collapsed and those that remain, will not stand once the water starts receding and the area starts drying up.

People are complaining of skin infections, vomiting and fever.

People are complaining of fever and vomiting. Skin infections already seem to be catching up.

The livelihood of almost the entire population depended on agriculture which has been largely destroyed.

As the Immediate needs assessed for the affected population by the Indian Red Cross society (NHQ) and the State Red Cross Branch are Tarpaulin sheets, Food and Non Food items (standard family packs), Water, sanitation and hygiene promotion intervention, the IRCS (NHQ) provided the state branches of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh with the above items to the tune of approximately INR 22 million. 15000 Tarpaulin sheets, 5500 family packs and one NOMAD water sanitation unit to provide clean drinking water for the affected people have already been supplied to the Odisha branch of the Indian Red Cross. In addition, volunteers of the National Disaster Relief team and National Disaster Water and Sanitation Relief teams have also been deployed to the worse affected state of Odisha to support the state and district teams in distribution of relief materials, providing clean drinking water and also to spread sanitation and hygiene promotion education to the people.

Taking cue from the team comprising of experts from the IRCS (NHQ) and the IFRC that visited Odisha, the National Headquarters of the Indian Red Cross Society reviewed the situation along with the partners. It is proposed that IRCS will support 20,000 families, though the fact remains that even with this help only about ten percent of the affected population will be supported.

The proposal is as follows:

India Cyclone Phailin -  Proposed operation with procurement breakdown (on top of DREF)   Number of families to be assisted-20,000     CHF:INR 64 Key Activity Items No.   Total in INR Budget (CHF) Replenishment of Family packs Mosquito nets 20000            4,900,000                  76,563 Sarees 20000            2,600,000                  40,625 Dhoti 20000            2,970,000                  46,406 Bucket 20000            2,127,500                  33,242 Kitchen set 20000          27,800,000               434,375 Cotton Blanket 20000            2,970,000                  46,406 Towel 20000            1,210,000                  18,906 Bedsheet 20000            2,449,500                  38,273 Shelter Tent 2000          48,640,000               760,000 Water and sanitation Watsan 10          12,000,000               187,500 First aid kits 400            1,000,000                  15,625 Hygiene kits 800            1,204,000                  18,813 Hygiene promotion activities 1                700,000                  10,938 Team deployment/ Volunteer management FMR refresher training 4                340,000                    5,313 One Day Training for  both state branch 1                150,000                    2,344 Team/Volunteers field cost 300                750,000                  11,719 Basic recovery Basic livelihood training 10            3,000,000                  46,875 Admin & Logistics Travel, Accommodation and per diem 15                375,000                    5,859 Information & Public Relations 1                  50,000                        781 Financial Charges 1                  10,000                        156 Other General Expenses 3                  30,000                        469 Transport & Vehicle Costs 1            1,500,000                  23,438 Logistics Services 1                300,000                    4,688 Logistics Services 1            4,890,015                  76,406 Other support cost                      90,000 Other admin/fees (IFRC)                   129,722  INR 136 million  CHF 2,125,441

This is being operationalized now for which funding is required.

If you wish to donate to the cause of Phailin Cyclone victims, you can send in cheques/drafts favouring “Secretary General, Indian Red Cross Society”. All such donations are eligible for tax deductions under Sec 80 G of the Indian IT Act.