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The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

TFN is published by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6BB. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Registration number SC003558.

Scottish charity helps thousands devastated by floods

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More than 350 people have been killed, most in landslides, since the monsoon started in June

A Scottish charity has sent £30,000 to help thousands of people left homeless and devastated by the huge floods in Kerala, India.

The cash, raised by Sciaf, will provide rice, oil, beans, biscuits and basic household items like soap, toothpaste and buckets.

More than 350 people have been killed, most in landslides, since the monsoon started in June and 725,000 are now in emergency relief camps, while thousands more are awaiting rescue.

Experienced staff from Sciaf’s partner Caritas India are on the ground providing food, water purification tablets and hygiene kits to 20,000 families.

Fr Paul Moonjely, executive director of Caritas India said that while the gaze of the world’s media will move on, Kerala will be living with this tragedy for a long time: “Farmers, daily wage workers and agricultural labourers won't earn anything for the next two to three months. Thousands have no homes to go back to.

“There’s need for food, clothes, beds, mosquito nets, medicines, drinking water supplies and temporary shelters. Sanitation and hygiene has been severely compromised and the risk of epidemics is at an all-time high.

“After all these needs are met, there is a need for longer term rehabilitation, reconstruction and livelihood support for affected families.”

Sciaf and Caritas India are targeting those who are particularly vulnerable such as families that have lost their homes, families with disabled members and women-headed households.

So far, Kerala has already received 30% more than its annual rainfall and some local people are calling it the flood of the century. The rainy season can run to November.

As well as providing immediate assistance the charity said it will continue to work with those affected by the floods to help them rebuild their homes and livelihoods.

You can donate hereor call 0141 354 5555.