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| S Asia victims face health crisis | S Asia victims face health crisis |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Millions of people affected by flooding in South Asia face a health crisis unless relief work is urgently stepped up, the United Nations has warned. | Millions of people affected by flooding in South Asia face a health crisis unless relief work is urgently stepped up, the United Nations has warned. |
| The World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef said stagnant waters were "a lethal breeding ground" for diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. | The World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef said stagnant waters were "a lethal breeding ground" for diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. |
| Food, drinking water and medicines are being distributed but the scale of the disaster has dwarfed relief efforts. | Food, drinking water and medicines are being distributed but the scale of the disaster has dwarfed relief efforts. |
| About 28m people have been affected by floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. | |
| See a map of the flooded region | See a map of the flooded region |
| "Entire villages are days away from a health crisis if people are not reached," said Unicef's health chief in India, Marzio Babille. | |
| THE ASIAN MONSOON Monsoon winds blow north-easterly for one half of the year, and from the south-west for the other halfSouth-westerly winds bring the heavy rains from June to SeptWinds arrive in southern India six weeks before the north westAnnual rainfall varies considerably What is the monsoon? In pictures: Flood relief Washed away in Nepal | THE ASIAN MONSOON Monsoon winds blow north-easterly for one half of the year, and from the south-west for the other halfSouth-westerly winds bring the heavy rains from June to SeptWinds arrive in southern India six weeks before the north westAnnual rainfall varies considerably What is the monsoon? In pictures: Flood relief Washed away in Nepal |
| "Stagnant waters left by the floods are a lethal breeding ground for diarrhoeal and waterborne diseases at potential epidemic level." | "Stagnant waters left by the floods are a lethal breeding ground for diarrhoeal and waterborne diseases at potential epidemic level." |
| Children, who make up 40% of South Asia's population, were particularly vulnerable, he said. | Children, who make up 40% of South Asia's population, were particularly vulnerable, he said. |
| India is the worst-affected country, with some 20 million people in the states of Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh hit by the floods, according to the UN. | |
| Some eight million people are affected in Bangladesh and another 300,000 people in southern Nepal. | |
| Although water levels are receding in Nepal and Bangladesh, millions of people are still marooned on high ground. | Although water levels are receding in Nepal and Bangladesh, millions of people are still marooned on high ground. |
| Contamination | |
| Dhaka resident Ishak Shohel, 27, told the BBC News website that rising floodwaters had forced her family of five to flee their suburban home. | |
| They are now staying with relatives on higher ground. | |
| "Until recently no relief supplies have been delivered to the affected people of Dhaka and its suburbs," she said. | "Until recently no relief supplies have been delivered to the affected people of Dhaka and its suburbs," she said. |
| FLOOD HEALTH RISKS Waterborne diseases: cholera, leptospirosisInsect-borne diseases: malaria, dengue feverDehydration, diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, skin infectionsChildren are particularly susceptible class="" href="/1/hi/health/6936586.stm">Which diseases can spread? | |
| The international aid agency Oxfam has launched a $2m appeal to help about 200,000 people across South Asia with essential food, clean water and shelter. | |
| Oxfam spokesman Sam Barratt, who was in Orissa state last week, told the BBC: | |
| "I saw for myself these massive scenes of devastation where the water has just smashed through banks which are 30 to 40 foot high (10-14m) and flooded villages, polluted wells, taken everything that people have got." | |
| Most water sources in affected areas are said to be either contaminated or submerged. | Most water sources in affected areas are said to be either contaminated or submerged. |
| Unicef's Marzio Babille told the BBC that an acute shortage of helicopters meant that the Indian authorities were finding it difficult to reach victims, who have spent more than a week in the open. | |
| HAVE YOUR SAY The floods seem to be more ferocious and deadly than usual. Unfortunately the government still hasn't taken substantial steps to help victims Indranil, Delhi class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=7088&edition=2&ttl=20070807121246">Send us your comments | |
| There has been a brief pause in the rain but the flood season is likely to continue for several weeks. | |
| Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi visited the worst-hit region, in Bihar state on Tuesday, as anger rose over aid efforts. | |
| About seven million people are affected in the state, and there have been reports of fights over limited supplies and of local officials stealing them. | About seven million people are affected in the state, and there have been reports of fights over limited supplies and of local officials stealing them. |
| The UN said that in Bihar alone, it needed many more helicopters for relief operations and at least one million more oral rehydration sachets to alleviate diarrhoea. | The UN said that in Bihar alone, it needed many more helicopters for relief operations and at least one million more oral rehydration sachets to alleviate diarrhoea. |
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