Title: ELCA Helps Fund Flood-Relief Efforts in South Asia ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 17, 2007
ELCA Helps Fund Flood-Relief Efforts in South Asia 07-142-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- About 23 million people are believed to be affected in Bangladesh, India and Nepal from what is being described as the worst flooding in "living memory." In response to the floods in South Asia, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has provided an initial $120,000 in August to support relief efforts there.
"The sheer size and scale of flooding and the massive number of people affected pose an 'unprecedented challenge to the delivery of desperately-needed humanitarian assistance,'" according to a statement from the United Nations, reported the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, spokesperson for ELCA Global Mission. The United Nations describes the floods as the "worst in living memory," he said.
In India some 1,200 people have lost their homes, said Ishida. "Eyewitnesses said the rains have continued for 20 days, flooding out about 14 million people who live along the Ganges River, which flows east to Bangladesh. Tens of thousands of people have left their homes and taken shelter in temporary camps on higher ground. Most of the people could not carry food or clothing during the evacuation and are consequently dependent on assistance from the government and/or nongovernmental organizations."
About 5 million people in Bangladesh have been forced out of their homes and farms, reported Ishida. "A total of 10 million people may be affected as floodwaters continue to rise, according to Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh" (LHCB), he said. "This figure may increase, since many areas in Bangladesh cannot be reached."
About 270,000 people in Nepal have been displaced from their homes because of floods and landslides, said Ishida.
The ELCA has committed an initial $100,000 to support relief work in India. The funds will be implemented by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) India program, said Ishida. The LWF is a global communion of 140 Lutheran churches representing 66.7 million Christians. The ELCA is a member of the LWF.
The ELCA has sent $20,000 to support the work of the LHCB, an ELCA companion ministry. - - -
The home page for Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh is at http://www.lhcb.org/ on the Web.
INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds for aid to survivors of major disasters outside the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include: ELCA International Disaster Response, PO Box 71764, Chicago, IL 60694-1764, 1-800-638-3522 and http://www.ELCA.org/disaster/idrgive on the Internet.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog