After more than four days of intense rainfall following a severe drought, 280 people have died and several million are homeless due to floods in southern India. The states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have had their farms, cattle and homes destroyed by torrential rains.
More than 350 villages are affected, and officials say that billions of dollars are needed for relief and reconstruction. The government has set up around 1,000 relief camps to house more than 300,000 refugees. Governmental rescue efforts also include dropping relief materials to villagers from Indian aircraft and sending soldiers out in boats to assist those stranded by the flood.
World Vision India is responding with relief efforts by handing out biscuits, water and bread to 5000 people in affected villages, a well as 2000 packets of cooked rice to another district. Community kitchens run by the government and local nonprofits are providing food aid, but non-food aid and relief will be of utmost importance in the coming days. World Relief's National Rapid Reponse Team is on the scene at Andhra Pradesh.
Stay posted as we update you on how you can get involved with relief efforts.