First truckloads of aid arrive in India

Children awaiting food at a camp in Bihar, India

17 September 2008: The first truckloads of Plan aid have arrived at camps and villages in two of India's worst flood-hit areas.

Tarpaulins, halogen tablets, dry food rations and life jackets have started to arrive in Saran, a Plan programme unit, and Supaul - where 40,000 people have been stranded on an embankment since the start of the floods and have not yet been reached by government workers.

Give to the appeal

Heavy rains over the last weeks have caused the Kosi and Sutlej rivers to burst their banks, forcing 3,300,000 people from their homes in northern India, Nepal and Pakistan. Thanks to our supporters, we have been able to take urgent action to help those affected.

Please make a donation to the Asia floods appeal via Plan's fundraising organisations:

Canada | Germany | Japan | Netherlands | Switzerland | UK | USA

Emergency relief

Right now, around 13,000 flood-victims in India are benefiting from emergency relief efforts designed to provide for their basic needs, including:

• cooked meals and dry rations
• halogen tablets to purify water for 1,339 families in campsites
• oral rehydration packs to combat health issues such as diarrhoea.

To provide for children’s safety and well-being, we have also identified 35 child-friendly spaces and 4 are already in operation.

The children in these areas are provided with fun activities such as story-telling, singing, rhymes and games. We also have teachers at two centres in Supaul providing school lessons to 50 children.

Earn soap and candles!

Plan India has created an online appeal for generating funds where people can 'earn' soap and candles for flood-hit families by answering questions about the flood correctly. Test your knowledge and help flood victims.