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humanitarian disasters
Nearly 20 MILLION People Hit by Catastrophic South Asian Flood - a Tragedy Ignored by US Media
India and Bangladesh have been hit by catastrophic floods, which have been largely unreported in US news. From the BBC: "UNICEF says action is needed to prevent epidemics of dysentery and cholera in affected areas. In the Indian state of Assam there is an urgent need for more relief supplies." BBC estimates a total of nearly 20 million people have been impacted - a disaster of unspeakable proportions. "33 of Bangladesh's 64 districts have been affected, leaving at least 3 million people homeless or marooned. Across Bangladesh's eastern border in the Indian state of Assam, nearly 9 million people have been affected by the floods. 'We're trying to meet the needs of the people but we require urgent help in the form of food supplies, medicines, relief materials besides voluntary health care workers to reach out to the people,' Assam's Chief Minister said. In the Indian state of Bihar 11 million people have been hit by the floods."
The US media couldn't be bothered to report this story - after all, it isn't of benefit to Bush administration. The French news service AFP reports: "Villagers marooned by floods that have stranded at least two million people in northern Bangladesh said they were running out of food and fresh water Tuesday as rescuers struggled to reach them. They said rescuers who are delivering emergency supplies of rice, biscuits and water purification tablets had yet to reach them. 'The waters are besieging us. We've been completely cut off for six days and we've not got any food or fresh water because the wells have gone under water,' a resident of one flood-surrounded village said. 'We don't have boats so we're trapped. We're waiting for relief but none has come yet.' "
16-Jul-04
humanitarian disasters
16-Jul-04
humanitarian disasters