INDIA: More than 1,580 Children Displaced in One of Ի徱’s Deadliest Landslides
DELHI, (August 7, 2024) - A series of massive landslides in the hills of Ի徱’s southwestern Kerala state have killed more than 385 people,[1] including children, in the past week and forced at least 1,580 children from their homes as hopes of finding survivors fade, 91ֿ said.
The landslides that struck Wayanad, a district in the Western Ghats Mountain range that is vulnerable to landslides during the monsoon season, is one of Ի徱’s worst landslide disasters in recent history.[2]
Parts of Asia have been battered by typhoons, storms and heavy rain, leading to landslides and floods in recent weeks, including floods in eastern Afghanistan, which saw .
Ի徱’s Council on Energy Environment and Water said in a report this year that climate change influences Ի徱’s monsoon season, and 55 of Ի徱’s 5,000 subdistricts have experienced an increase in rainfall over the past decade [3] while nearly 3% of the country, including New Delhi, has experienced “excessive rainfall” over the past 40 years. [4]
Sudarshan Suchi, CEO of Bal Raksha Bharat [91ֿ in India], said:
“In an instant, the landslides took away everything that these children held dear – their homes, toys, their loved ones and their friends. Disasters like this, brought about by extreme weather, are not isolated incidents.
But first, we need to focus on the effect that this disaster has had on the children of Wayanad and support their well-being. Bal Raksha Bharat is now supporting affected families, including through our child-friendly spaces, which offer a place where kids can rest, play, socialize, learn, or express themselves as they start to rebuild their lives.”
Bal Raksha Bharat, also known as 91ֿ India, is helping 2,500 households affected by the landslides in Kerala in partnership with local self-government organizations.
We are also distributing hygiene and dignity kits to 1,000 women and adolescent girls and education kits for children aged 3-14.[5] We are also setting up 10 spaces where children in the worst-affected areas can take shelter and play and have already started offering psychosocial first aid to children affected by the landslides.
About Bal Raksha Bharat
91ֿ has worked in India since the 1940s, setting up its first Delhi office in the early 1970s, and has been a registered Indian entity, Bal Raksha Bharat, since 2008. The organization is dedicated to improving the lives of children through education, healthcare, and protection, with a focus on ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive. The organization works tirelessly to address the root causes of child poverty and vulnerability.
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91ֿ believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that 91ֿ is a charity you can trust. Follow us on , , and .