Caritas reaches out to 24,000 flood-hit people in Tamil Nadu

Caritas has sent out appeal to donors within India and abroad for long term intervention.

New Delhi:  Responding swiftly to Tamil Nadu’s worst floods in decades, Caritas India has brought relief to 24,000 flood-hit people in the state during its first phase.

In general, support services including dry ration (food kit), non-food items (including clothes), hygiene kit, cooked food and heath camps to the tune of 4 million rupees have been extended to the five districts of Cuddalore, Kanchipuram, Chennai, Thiruvallur and Villupuram during the phase that ended Dec. 13.

In its second phase starting today, Caritas India plans to extend similar support to the tune of 6 million rupees, reaching out to 25 thousand more people before Christmas.

“We start from the peripheries as most poor live there,” said Executive Director Fr. Frederick D’Souza explaining the organization’s strategy for including the most deprived and the unreached.

Kamarajpura of Thiruvallur district is one such village where 120 families live in utter misery – with no toilet, no education and bare minimum livelihood options.

Our 40 member medical team has attended to 520 patients through 8 medical camps in the first phase.

Patients came up with problems like skin infections, respiratory problems, anemia, arthritis, gastritis and various other stomach infections.

Commenting on the future plan, Head of Disaster Management Desk Anjan Bag said that the third and the final phase will start by first week of January, where the focus will mostly be on shelter recovery based on 10 per cent sampling.

Caritas has sent out appeal to donors within India and abroad for long term intervention – much of which will depend on mobility of fund by end of the final phase.

Caritas network includes Caritas Germany, Camillian Task Force, Sphere India, TN State Inter Agency Group (IAG), CRS, TASOS Forum, PMSSS, CRDS and MDSSS.

END