(c) HelpAge India
HelpAge India medicare van delivers relief to older people affected by floods across Tamil Nadu state
HelpAge India is responding to the floods in Chennai after the city of 4.6 million people experienced its heaviest rainfall in a century.
The low-lying city on the country’s south-east coast was submerged in water as rivers and lakes burst their banks following a week-long bout of non-stop rain. This came after 47 inches of rain fell during November – more than three times the average monthly rainfall of 14 inches.
While many of Chennai’s residents could flee, those less able to escape, including older people, remained behind, isolated by the floods amid power outages and limited access to supplies.
More than 7,000 stranded people had to be rescued, while at least 280 people have died as a result of the floods across Tamil Nadu state.
HelpAge India has been carrying out relief work in Chennai and Cuddalore further south along the coastline and Kanchipuram inland along the Palar River.
Six mobile medical units have been deployed and more than 250 patients have been treated at two separate medical camps.
More than 2,000 food packets have been distributed, along with 3,500 one-litre bottles of water.
Although flood waters are subsiding now and power has mostly responded, HelpAge India’s relief efforts will continue to reach out to the tens of thousands of people affected, including many who are now left homeless. With rain likely over the next few days too, there are concerns waters could rise again.