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India: Maharashtra and Goa Floods OCHA Situation Report No. 2

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2005/0122

OCHA Situation Report No. 2
India (Maharashtra, Goa)- Floods
29 July 2005

This situation report is based on information received from the United Nations Resident Coordinator's office in New Delhi and the OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) in Bangkok.

Situation

1. Heavy rains since 24 July caused severe flood in the state of Maharashtra. According to the weather forecast, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at a few places in the coastal region of Goa during next 24 hours.

Maharashtra state

2. As of 28 July, 513 deaths were reported in the state of Maharashtra. In the village of Juigaon, 150 km south of Mumbai, an estimated 100 people were killed in a mudslide on 26 July. Rescue operations in the landslide affected district and other parts of the state continued on a large scale. Long distance train services were yet to resume, and the city airport is partially operational.

Mumbai metropolis

A total of 267 deaths have been confirmed in the Mumbai metropolis. On Thursday the water was receding in certain low-lying areas in the city, while suburban areas were still submerged. According to the report issued by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Mumbai is returning to normality with rail and roads slowly being restored. Vehicular movement was restored on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway.

Goa state

3. In the South and North districts of the state of Goa, the death toll is 13 and 340,00 persons were affected. Five rivers in the state are exceeding the warning levels. The state highways have been closed for traffic.

National Response

4. The Government called in the Army, Navy and Air Forces to carry out search and rescue operations. Where road access is not possible, the Indian air force is carrying out air dropping operations of relief material. Food packages were distributed in Mangoan, Rantnagri and Raigad districts.

5. Rescue operations were ongoing in Jui in Raigad district, with army and navy teams reaching the place by boat, and in Saki Naka (Mumbai) where 45 persons died in a landslide.

6. The state Relief and Rehabilitation Department has released INR 830 million (approximately USD 19.29 million) as immediate relief. An amount of INR 100,000 (USD 2,325) for death and INR 3,000 (USD 70) per injured person is being paid by the districts administration.

Additional Assistance

7. The World Health Organization (WHO) emergency relief team is in touch with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and State Relief and Rehabilitation department. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) staff in the affected state is assisting in the districts emergency information response coordination.

8. Indian Red Crescent Society Maharashtra state has distributed packets of bread by airdrops, and had a request of chlorine tablets from Ratnagiri.

9. OCHA is in close contact with the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Delhi and will revert with further information as required. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

MAP - India: Maharashtra and Goa floods - Situation map

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:

Mr. Masaaki Nakagawa, direct Tel. +41-22-917-4034

Press contact:

(GVA) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. +1-917-892 1679

Disclaimer

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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