An Appeal to Help People Affected by Floods                        

Devastating Floods

Recent rains have been wreaking havoc on the population of the northern coastal districts of Tamil Nadu including Chennai and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh for almost a month. Unprecedented heavy downpour and overflowing tanks and water bodies caused floods in many parts of the coastal strip along the Bay of Bengal. Nearly 260 human lives lost, thousands of cattle and animals died and thousands of hectares of cropped filed inundated. While the people in the urban areas lost their household goods and essentials, people in rural areas lost their crops and cattle, their sustenance. The worst affected are the vulnerable communities living in poor houses. Most of these households were ill-equipped to meet this disaster. Dismayed by the loss, poor households are in desperate need of support for recovery.

DHAN Foundation has been working with more than one lakh poor households in the districts of Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts, where the floods devastated the lives of poor and vulnerable communities. Initial estimates showed that over 10,000 families, living in poor housing conditions in these districts have been badly affected. The flash floods swept away the meager assets they earned out of many years of their hard work. While the Government and other voluntary organisations have set-up temporary shelters and supply of food, we are yet to reach all the needy and fulfill their basic requirements.

DHAN Communities in Response and Recovery

As an expression of solidarity to wipe off the tears of their own fellow women by mobilizing its physical support, the DHAN Foundation’s Self-Help Groups of women and farmers unaffected by these floods in other parts of the State, swiftly responded by collecting contributions from their members and shared Rs. 200,000 for immediate relief, and continued to mobilize financial and material support from across the country.

DHAN has been actively engaging with the communities affected by these disasters with an initial short-term relief to long-term restoration of livelihoods by building resilience to face future disasters. Our communities have been facing such disasters during Tsunami in 2004 and Thane Cyclone in Tamil Nadu in 2011, Hudhud Cyclone in 2014 that devastated Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and they were successful in restoring their livelihoods with the support from kind-hearted and well-wishers.

An Initial Assessment

Our RADAR (Rapid Disaster Assessment for Reconstruction) in Cuddalore and Kanchipuram districts, where DHAN Foundation has been working for more than two decades showed that the flood swept away the livelihood assets of both farmers and fisher folks.

Cuddalore

Flood caused by discharge from Veeranam tank and Paravanar River in Cuddalore district submerged over 580 villages, rendering 5000 people, who lived in thatched mud houses homeless. These people have been evacuated and sheltered in camps. Most of these families were landless laborers and fisherfolk, dependent only on their labour and little number of livestock they owned for their sustenance. Sudden surge of water in the backwater streams damaged over 250 boats and nets, made the likelihoods of fishermen dysfunctional. Houses of poor families with whom DHAN Foundation is working in Kurunjipadi, Parangipet, Cuddal ore, Kullanchavadi, Keerapalayam and Panruti areas have been damaged. Over 1000 houses have been collapsed completely and another 3000 houses were damaged partially. Standing crops such as Paddy, Groundnut, Sugarcane, Banana, Guava, Vegetables and Flowers in 53000 hectares of land submerged into flood water. More information from the ground could be obtained from: Dr. P.Sivasubramanian, Regional Coordinator, DHAN Foundation, dc.re.cuddalore@dhan.org, 9943441978

Kanchipuram & Puducherry Floods in Thirukalukundram, Madurandagam, Acharapakkam, Chithamur and Lathur blocks in Kanchipuram district submerged nearly 18000 hectares of standing Paddy crop. Both natural and man-made breaches caused damages to over 275 irrigation tanks and 145 feeder channels and surplus water courses in Kanchipuram district. Over 3500 families have lost their houses and livelihood assets and nearly 1600 livestock due to floods causes by discharge in Ongur River in Kanchipuram. In Puducherry, out of 18,000 hectares of cultivable land over 9000 hectares of wetland with standing crops such as Paddy and sugarcane has been flooded. More information from the ground could be obtained from: Mr. R. Prakash, Regional Coordinator, DHAN Foundation, vfvillupuram@dhan.org, 9842003844

Join us in Restoring Livelihoods of the Affected Communities

It is yet another opportunity to express our solidarity with the affected communities and extend our helping hand in whatever ways possible. We are hereby making an appeal to all the donors, well-wishers, individuals and institutions to stand with us in relieving the misery of the affected people. The need of the hour is filling the gaps in relief delivery system, which necessitates the support from kindhearted individuals and institutions for the following: Over 10,000 households need groceries, which are estimated to be Rs. 500 worth of mats and blankets and Rs. 1000 worth of rice, dhal and oil for a family for meeting their needs for a week. About 10,000 poor households require our support to re-build or repair their damaged housed either completely or partially. Over 5,000 poor households, who were dependent on livestock for their sustenance, require support to restore their livelihoods. About 300 irrigation tanks and water ways reported for breaches and damages require support for repair and renovation. Having lost livelihood assets like boats and nets, about 250 small and marginal fishermen need support for restoration of their livelihoods.

Reach us for any further detail about the losses, needs, and ways and means of support. We will soon come to you with an exact assessment and work-out modalities of interventions. Please pass on this appeal to as many people as possible.

We seek your swift response to meet some of the emergency needs of the community. Please reach us.

Mr.P.Subburaj,
Programme Leader
DHAN Foundation
dhanfoundation@dhan.org,
Telephone: (+91) 452 2302500 / 501
Mobile: (+91) 9842883251

Bank Details

We kindly request you to send your contributions by Cheque / RTGS / NEFT transfer to the following bank accounts. After making bank transfers, please write to us at dhanfoundation@dhan.org

All donations to the cause are eligible under 80G of Indian Income Tax Act. We shall send you a formal receipt with 80G certificate to you immediately after receipt of funds to our bank account. Also, we would update you of the impact made as a result of your contribution.