FLOODING HITS INDIA'S EAST AND NORTHEAST HARD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLKATA 000230

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DELHI FOR DAO, USAID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV SOCI EAID PGOV AEMR AMED IN
SUBJECT: FLOODING HITS INDIA'S EAST AND NORTHEAST HARD

REF: KOLKATA 201


1. (U) SUMMARY: Heavy rains since July 25 have flooded large
areas in Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura. Almost
all the districts of Assam are flooded, killing 16 people and
affecting 1.1 million people. Water levels in rivers across
Assam have receded over the past 48 hours. Assam's Relief
Commissioner says that conditions are improving and the state
has not asked for GOI assistance. In Bihar, however, the
situation has deteriorated. Rivers are flowing above the danger
mark and 24 people have died so far. The Bihar government has
sought help from humanitarian agencies and both the Indian Army
and civil society organizations are helping to provide relief
and rescue operations. END SUMMARY.

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Assam
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2. (U) Flood waters have inundated large stretches of land in
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Mizoram - states in
India's Northeast region. Assam is the worst affected state,
with 24 out of a total 27 administrative districts flooded by
water from the Brahmaputra and other rivers. Dibrugarh (in
Upper Assam),Dhemaji and Lakhimpur are three districts that
have been particularly affected. While the official death toll
is 16, other local contacts told Post that about 25 people have
died.


3. (U) According to assessments made by the Assam government
and civil society groups, nearly 4,500 hectares of land have
been inundated and 26,000 hectares of crop fields affected.
Drinking water sources have been partially affected in most
areas as well. People who were stranded have been placed into
one of 275 relief camps that have been set up. The Assam
government is providing food supplies to the camps. Gaps
remain, however, in the supply of potable water and there are
reported problems with sanitation, provision of adequate cover
and shelter, and storage. Contacts have reported incidents of
diarrhea and enteric diseases in the camps but these are
isolated incidents and not at "outbreak" levels. Since a large
number crops and cattle have been destroyed by the flooding,
resuscitating livelihoods will be a problem down the road.


4. (U) The state government has asked UNICEF for mosquito nets,
oral rehydration solutions and water purifying tablets. The
Inter Agency Group consisting of Catholic Relief Services,
Action Aid, Oxfam, CASA, and UNICEF, along with their local
partners, have deployed their resources to complement the Assam
government's relief and rescue operations. NGO contacts told
post that getting relief to the people was a bigger problem than
supplies. Washed out roads, bridges and inundated railway
tracks are seriously impeding movement of relief material.

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Bihar
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5. (U) Although the rains have stopped in Bihar, water traveling
from upper riparian areas of Nepal has inundated 14 districts
(out of 38),killing 24 persons so far. According to officials
in Bihar's Disaster Management Control Room, 3,152 villages have
been effectively "marooned." About 550,000 hectares of land is
submerged and 6.9 million people affected by the flooding. The
state political leadership has appealed to all agencies for
humanitarian assistance. Bihar's Flood Control Room personnel
told Post there is an acute shortage of polythene sheets. The
Control Room sought Catholic Relief Service's contact
information from Post which we provided.


6. (U) Amid the rescue efforts, Bihar politicians have entered
the fray with accusations and counter-accusations. After
surveying Bihar's flood affected areas from his helicopter,
Indian Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav criticized Bihar Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar for traveling to Mauritius on a business
trip during the current crisis. There were local media reports
about relief being distributed according to each flood victim's
political affiliation as well.

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Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura
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KOLKATA 00000230 002 OF 002



7. (U) Floor waters have inundated a few districts in Arunachal
Pradesh and Tripura. In Arunachal Pradesh - located north of
Assam - the hardest-hit districts are Lohit, West and East
Siang, Upper Subansiri and Upper Siang. All the rivers flowing
through these districts - Siang, Sibo Korong, Lohit, Nao Dehing
and Kamlang -- are flowing above the danger level as of August

1. In Tripura, the overflowing Gomti river submerged parts of
South and West districts. About 4,300 families were affected and
a few houses damaged.


8. (U) COMMENT: Every year, the monsoon rains in the upper
reaches of the Himalayas flow down the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna
river basin --- flooding large tracts in Assam, Bihar,
Bangladesh and other states in East and Northeast India. This
results in loss of life, property and livelihoods for people
living in these areas. The lack of good infrastructure such as
roads and railways hampers relief and rescue work. While the
causes and impact of the annual flooding are generally well
understood, implementing preventative measures and coping
mechanisms would require the involvement of at least five
countries to find a regional approach to the problem. As long
as such an initiative is not in place, local mitigation efforts
will continue to be inadequate and temporary.
JARDINE