Since mid-March, two CCFC areas, the village of Ramanathapuram and the community of Sivaksi, have experienced heavy rains and unprecedented floods - causing a loss of livelihood and the widespread destruction of standing crops and property, as well as extensively damaging basic services such as roads, bridges, irrigation systems, and channels.
Heavy rain and gusting winds over a period of 15 days have badly affected the lives of many of our sponsored families. Several low-lying areas reported levels of water above knee level. Rainfall in the Ramanathapuram area was recorded at 117.6 CM, where 55% of sponsored families were affected; 80-85 family homes were irreparably damaged. The Sivakasi community recorded 100.8 CM of rain over a period of 12 days, affecting 70% of sponsored families; 91 CCFC families in this region are now homeless.
As always, in emergency situations the greatest immediate concern is the availability of food and disease control. In Tamil Nadu, families are rapidly exhausting food supplies and water is contaminated. Mothers are struggling to make the food available to their families, with little success. Children are hungry, living and sleeping in unsanitary conditions where they are at great risk of contracting water-borne diseases.
The longer term economic repercussions of this natural disaster are also disturbing. In both regions most adults are not able to work; they are confined to their villages with all agriculture activities suspended and factories closed. Fishermen in the tiny village of Ramanathapuram were warned not to venture out to sea due to the dangerous sailing conditions in the coastal area, virtually ensuring no income for many sponsored families.
There are, however, signs of hope.
The children’s cries for help are being heard. In one week, Christian Children Fund of Canada donors raised a total of $14,669 to provide relief to sponsored children in the areas most devastated by the floods. These additional, emergency funds have meant that to date:
• In Sivakasi, CCFC together with its local partners, has distributed essential items (rice, cooking oil, bed sheets, clothes, cooking utensils) to 500 families, with 100 families awaiting assistance within the next couple of days
• In Ramanathapuram, CCFC and partners have established a community kitchen, enabling 208 families to enjoy rice, dhall and fresh vegetables. Apart from this, our local partner was able to mobilize government relief efforts to provide limited emergency funds and 2 kilos of rice for each family
And although there has been a minor flu outbreak in the flood affected areas, no deaths have been recorded in the areas where CCFC works. Not surprisingly, the work is far from over. Even as the waters recede, hundreds of sponsored children in Tamil Nadu are still hungry, homeless and in peril of serious illness.
Your donation of $50 or more will help provide emergency shelter, nutritious food, clean water, and medical care for children and families. We’ll need your help if the lives of these young children are to be saved.
Donations for this appeal are no longer accepted. Please visit our Urgent Appeals page to view current appeals.