Many states in India are grappling with the recent floods. An estimated 2.4 million children have been affected, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said recently. UNICEF called for immediate support, more resources and innovative programmes to address the challenges. UNICEF, in a statement said, though flooding during this period of the year is common, this widespread scale of floods in Mid-July is unusual.
In India, over 6 million people across Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have been affected by the floods, including an estimated 2.4 million children, said UNICEF.
UNICEF also said it is working with the government and partners to respond quickly and effectively. It is supporting the Assam government to implement the COVID-19 adapted relief camp management guidelines and child-friendly spaces in select districts, in addition to its focused support for maternal and child health service continuity and COVID-19 response in many states, the statement said.
As many as 93 died and 28 lakh people have been affected across 33 districts in Assam due to the floods. Death toll in Bihar has jumped to 106. A total of 80.55 lakh persons have been affected due to the floods in Bihar.
UNICEF noted that weeks of torrential monsoon rains, widespread flooding and deadly landslides in Bangladesh, India and Nepal have affected millions of children and families.
“Even for a region that is all-too-familiar with the devastating impact of extreme weather, the recent heavy monsoon rains, rising floods and continued landslides are creating a perfect storm for children and families affected,” said Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia. She further added, “The COVID-19 pandemic and containment & prevention measures add an additional complication to the mix, as COVID-19 cases are accelerating in some of the affected areas.”
Gough also said that the fall-out from the COVID-19 pandemic is being compounded by climate change and extreme weather events are arguably the biggest issues affecting children in South Asia right now.
