Kerala Floods Appeal

Between 1 and 19 August 2018, the state of Kerala witnessed unprecedented flooding resulting from heavy rainfall.

474 people were reported to have died. Many were displaced. Around 50,000 houses were either damaged or destroyed.

The floods severely impacted infrastructure and people's livelihoods.

Thanks to your generosity, we were able to respond quickly through local partners.

They were able to provide hygiene and dignity kits, shelter, water, sanitation and livelihood measures for the most vulnerable.

Please donate to the Kerala Floods Appeal, so that we can support ongoing efforts to rebuild Kerala.

Photo credit: REX/AP/Shutterstock

We focused our initial response on supporting 20,000 people in the hard-hit Wayanad district in northern Kerala, and Idukki district in the centre of the state.

We are targeting areas where many people are considered to be 'Dalits' and 'Tribals' – among the most deprived and excluded in society.

Our humanitarian response was kick-started by a £77,000 grant from the START Fund, and £30,000 of our own funds. With your help, we can intensify our relief efforts.

Late August 2018

• 10,000 people were reached with emergency kits, and a further 2,000 with community water filters. 
• Our local partner PHIA fitted community water filter equipment, providing safe drinking water to around 300 families in Kakathod hamlet (Panamaram Panchayat). There were plans for two more community filters, and 350 more for household use.

(PHIA is a registered local Indian NGO that is legally independent of Christian Aid, but part of the Global Partnership.)

Early September 2018

• We'd delivered 150 relief kits in the Idukki district. Nearly 9,000 people had benefitted directly from the relief kits we distributed. 
• Nearly 4,000 people were able to access safe drinking water, because water filters have been installed across 10 locations in Wayanad district.
• A major longer-term concern was the loss of livelihood sources such as farmland, labour, crops, stocked grains, seeds, fodder, livestock etc. Many families have no other livelihood options.

Late September 2018

• Our first phase of relief distribution was completed.
• Local partners IGSSS and CASA had provided 3,790 households with relief kits.
• Community water filters were installed across 15 locations in the Wayanad and Idduki districts, giving communities access to safe drinking water. 
• Through our partners, we promoted good hygiene to around 16,000 families across two districts. 
• The next phase aimed to support another 4,000 families in Idduki and Alappuzha districts with cash assistance, access to safe drinking water, relief kits, and cleaning and maintenance of wells, as well as livelihood interventions. 

February 2019

• Through our partners, 3790 households were directly covered with relief kits across Wayanad and Idduki.
• 15 community water filters were installed; 1,350 household level water filters given.
• 670 students were given school kits in Idduki.
• Wells cleaned in Idduki and Allepey, and septic tanks repaired in Allepey to provide a safe and hygienic water supply.
• Hygiene kits have been given to about 1,400 families in Idduki and Allepey.
• Thanks to our partners, about 1,200 of the most vulnerable families in Idduki and Allepey were given unconditional cash of around INR 10,000 (about £108). They didn't get immediate cash grants from the state government.
• 500 litres of water tanks provided safe drinking water at 16 locations across Allepey for 10 days, when locals were unable to access it.

A family of five – a married couple, their 2-month-old baby and elderly parents,  all from a marginalised tribal community – lost their house in the landslides.

They were lucky to escape and climb to safety, but they can't go back; at present they've no other option but to stay in the relief camp.

Kerala's government is providing support in relief camps, and has announced that it's providing relief packages for the families – but it'll take some time for this family to receive that support, and return to a normal life.

Kurrmati, from Nattra colony in Thirunaly Panchayat, Wayanad District, told us that her house was ruined in a landslide.

She said the relief kit given to her by Christian Aid and IGSSS was really useful – and before they met her in late August, she had not received herself. Kurmati said that she especially valued the mosquito net (because there are lots of mosquitoes), and the tarpaulin it contained, which will help cover the roof of her ruined home.

She valued the relief kit, but also the fact that we sat with her, heard her story and shared her grief. 

Helping the most marginalised in society

In the time since the 2018 floods ravaged Kerala, the state has recovered much more quickly than initially expected. But there's an urgent need to refocus recovery efforts on the most marginalised.

For many in the poorest communities, the road to recovery is predictably much more difficult than it has been for the more affluent.

A combination of not having large savings or a regular salaried income, and high levels of debt, means that they are still struggling to bounce back.

While rehabilitation grants given by the state government are much higher than those given by other states, there have been widespread complaints about the delay in the payment of funds, and concerns about exclusion of deserving households, especially from socially marginalised sections.

Ensuring everyone has clean water, sanitation and good hygiene

We're continuing to support the water distribution, sanitation and hygiene promotion activities in Allepey in particular.

Allepey has high level of contamination in the water sources, because of the chemicals and pests used in the paddy fields adjoining the areas.

This means that people are still reporting cases of fever, diarrhoea, chicken pox and skin diseases.

Because the flood and landslides damaged the water sources, we will also be continuing to support WASH activities such as:

• testing water pointing
• cleaning the wells and rainwater harvesting tanks
• providing water filters
• cleaning and desludging the septic tanks

Supporting the communities to rebuild

Through our partners, we're supporting midterm recovery programmes aimed at building the livelihood sources for the most poor and vulnerable families in marginalised communities.

Single women-headed households from Dalit and Tribal communities, in particular, will be supported to make income through sustainable livelihoods.

Contact our press team by email or on the 24-hour press duty phone: +44 (0) 7850 242 950.