We're working with partners to offer critically needed supplies in Kerala.
UPDATE (Sept. 14): Samaritan’s Purse partners have distributed emergency relief kits to 3,300 families. The relief kits include food, hygiene items, sheets, a blanket, and a few clothing items.
Among those beneficiaries is Thangachen, a rice farmer living in an impoverished community. Thangachen and his wife and children had to flee from their home during the night after floodwaters began to rise. The water eventually exceeded four feet. Thangachen and his family made it to a relief camp where they stayed until the water receded. They returned to their village 10 days later and found their home in ruins. Thangachen was grateful for the food and clothing from our partners that helped his family to survive during this traumatic time.
Our partners also served Narayani’s family. Narayani and her husband work hard as day laborers to provide for their three children, yet their meager income is barely enough to make ends meet. They cannot read, making it very difficult to secure a more stable job. The recent floodwaters destroyed all their material belongings, including their children’s school books. The family expressed gratitude to our partners not only for the relief kit, but also for the encouragement they received.
Please pray for the people of India, as our partners continue to assess needs and are finding many more people who are still in desperate need.
Families prepare to receive emergency relief supplies during a distribution in Northern Kerala.
Samaritan’s Purse is providing relief to hundreds of needy families after the worst flooding in a century washed through the south Indian state of Kerala. Working with local partners, we are distributing food, water, blankets, buckets, cooking supplies, and more.
Hundreds of people have perished in the flooding and landslides caused by this year’s unusually heavy monsoon rains. The death toll has spiked in the past two weeks—starting around Aug. 8. Over 300,000 people have been displaced and are living among 2,000 emergency relief camps. As many as thousands more remain completely stranded. Helicopters, other aircraft, motorboats, and soldiers have been called in to help with rescue and relief.
This weekend there are reports that the rains have tapered off and the raging waters have finally begun to recede.
Please be in prayer for the people of India affected by this natural disaster. Pray for our partners as they work to meet just some of the tremendous needs created by this catastrophe.
This story was originally published Aug. 18.
