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Parineeta Dandekar spent some time to find resources on the web for people involved in relief efforts in flood situations.The following provides a concise look at precautions, useful resources and general tips regarding drinking water, sanitation, relief measures in the flood affected regions. Water and Sanitation during floods: Some resources for relief workers and flood affected population With more than 300,000 people in relief camps and two mega relief camps planned in Bihar, consideration of issues related to water and sanitation is urgent. Epidemics and water borne diseases can spread rapidly and easily in the present situation.The information below is collected from various sources and aims to help of flood affected population, people in relief camps, volunteers, relief workers working in Bihar. Relief and aid workers should take the necessary precautions to assure their health and safety while working on rescue and clean up procedures. While conducting rescue and clean up operations, it should be assumed that the all surfaces have been contaminated with disease-causing organisms. This important assumption must be considered in decisions involving personal safety of rescue and cleanup personnel . ( for more information, please see here) Personal Protection Measures ( For more information, please see here)

Download the resource document as a doc file: Water & Sanitation for the Flood Affected

One in four girls does not complete primary school - compared to one in seven boys - and the lack of proper sanitation is partially to blame.

Two documents giving the details of the mega camps and other relief camps that are being run by the Government. Thanks to Eklavya Prasad of Megh Pyne Abhiyan for forwarding these documents.

Among lot of other data it gives the current government estimate of affected people (40lakh people, from 2350 affected villages, in 16 districts of Bihar, with the  number of deaths as 87). There is a district-wise breakup. Information about food and other material and cash being distributed, details of the relief camps, UN activities are mentioned.

A very interesting thread has been initiated on the Discussion Forum on the Portal by Bob Eibl.

In response to the flood situation a query was started on Solution Exchange regarding the available approaches to water purification in flood situations. A very large range of technologies and approaches were suggested by various practitioners based on their experience in the field.

Please see message below: ======= We are in process of distributing 1,000 sets of TERAFIL water filters among the victims of Bihar flood affected areas for supply of drinking water. These filters can provide at least 50,000 litres of clean drinking water every day, which can be operated without electricity by the victims easily, like any other candle filters.

The NRSA and the Govt of India is working together to provide near real time data on the current flood situation in Bihar by using satellite imagery.

WaterAid India's northern regional office and the Government of Bihar's Department of Disaster Preparedness are carrying out a disaster preparation programme in five districts of Bihar - Muzzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Samsastipur and Sitamarhi .

The field report below, dated September 6th, by a team including Ms. Medha Patkar, finds that rescue operations are ongoing and thousands of people are still stranded:

UPDATE ON THE FLOOD SITUATION IN BIHAR