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In August 2006, torrential monsoon rains caused widespread flooding throughout India, especially in the western states of Gujarat and Rajasthan and the southern states of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.
Hundreds of people were killed and, according to news reports, more than 6 million people were affected by the disaters. Tens of thousands of animals also died and thousands more faced severe food and water shortages and outbreaks of disease.
At the request of Rajasthan and Gujarat governments, Humane Society International worked with the Gujarat-based Animal Help Foundation to provide relief to people and animals affected by the flooding in those provinces, saving thousands of animals from death and disease.
September 27, 2006
Dispatch
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| Disaster relief responders treat sick and injured animals |
by Tamara Church Swanson
After weeks of pounding rain, parts of Orissa, India's poorest state, remain isolated. Some evacuees have returned to their villages through the floodwaters, but many others are marooned on sand dunes, and it is not clear how they will survive.
Two broken levees remain unrepaired, and with cyclone season fast approaching, it is unclear whether the Indian government plans to rebuild them. Crops and grazing lands will remain submerged until the levees are repaired and the flood water flows out to sea.
Hungry and Homeless
Livestock are at risk for starvation. Calving and lambing season begins soon, and if livestock do not receive fodder, the animals and people who depend on them will experience a domino effect. Consequences extend beyond animal starvation—whole villages can be affected. Lands cannot be tilled; crops, for human consumption and livestock fodder, will not grow; animals will be unable to produce dairy; milk production may stop, leaving animals unable to feed newborn calves; and lost dairy production, a mainstay of the Orissa region, will add to economic devastation.
Where do hungry, homeless animals graze when land is submerged? "There is intense pressure on the strips of land that are available," said Sherry Grant, HSI Asia's director. "Even the land above water is simply not enough to accommodate this many hungry animals."
Restoring the lands will not be an easy task. Because of sand and silt, regaining fertile ground and grazing areas could take as long as a year, increasing pressure on the herds.
Veterinarian Help Needed
Once animals do receive fodder, a trained livestock veterinarian will be needed to monitor animals' health conditions, and to diagnose, treat or prevent illnesses that may occur.
Meanwhile, HSI Asia will try to work with local governments to "get animals on their radar screen, and to emphasize the livelihoods at stake and the future economic impact which will be intensified beyond crop loss," Grant said.
September 20, 2006
Dispatch
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A dog, up to his neck in floodwater, waits in floodwater for
rescue in India. (HSUS) |
By Tamara Church Swanson
In August, torrential monsoon rains caused widespread flooding throughout India, especially in the west—Gujarat and Rajasthan—and in the south—Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. Hundreds of people and tens of thousands of animals died in the disaster, and India news reports indicate that more than 6 million people have been affected by the flooding. Many people, companion animals and surviving livestock now face food and water shortages.
Normally, "people in rural India eagerly anticipate the rains, which are viewed as a blessing for the paddy fields in need of irrigation. However weeks, instead of days, of rain have gravely affected India's poorest people, along with their cherished animals," Sherry Grant, HSI's Asia director, reported from India.
When floodwaters began receding in late August, Humane Society International was among the rescue and relief efforts to respond to the crisis. Working with the Gujarat-based Animal Help Foundation to provide relief to people and animals at the request of Rajasthan and Gujarat governments, HSI Asia efforts have saved thousands of animals from death and disease since late August.
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Kids with a goat in India during the
flooding disaster response, (HSUS) |
Treating Animals in Rajasthan
Located on opposite sides of the country, Orissa and Rajasthan are among the hardest-hit regions, each with different needs and dynamics.
"Rajasthan floodwaters receded, which allowed us to set up our clinic on dry land and treat animals." Grant said. "Yet there is still much work to do. Entire animal herds are dying and require the veterinary treatments and lifesaving medications that we provide."
Veterinary teams in Rajastahn treated thousands of animals with antibiotics, analgesics and antihistamines. Sheep with prolonged skin contact to wet, soggy wool often suffer from severe skin inflammation and irritation.
Floodwaters Swallow Food Supply
The flooding in Orissa damaged the region's levees, swallowed crops and grazing lands, wiped out the food and fodder supply, and complicated rescue and relief efforts. One of the poorest regions in India, Orissa depends on livestock for its survival. Herds appear to be healthy now, Grant said, but will need fodder to survive the approaching calving and lambing season.
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| HSI Asia's Sherry Grant surveys India's flood damage. (HSUS) |
With rotting crops and grazing land already in short supply, the cyclone season begins in a few weeks. Unless the government can repair broken levees soon, isolated villages in Orissa may face more devastation.
The Work We Support
In the last two years, HSI Asia has provided disaster relief and assistance in many situations including: the Asian tsunami that hit Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India; cyclones and flooding on the southern coast of India; the earthquake affecting Pakistan and India; and the earthquake in Java, Indonesia, not far from HSI Asia's Bali headquarters.
HSI is committed to providing assistance and relief for animals and people in distress following natural disasters.
