MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Almost 20 million people have been affected by an unusually severe flooding in South Asia and World Vision is stepping up its relief efforts to bring essential food and survival items to help the flood victims cope with this disaster.

News reports say that more than 200 people have died in the past few days. Many have drowned, others crushed under the rubble of their houses and some, bitten by snakes flooded out of their pits. The threat of water-borne diseases is rising and many villages remain cut off for days, the reports said.

Floods are an annual occurrence in South Asia during the July to September monsoon season, but the flooding this year has been particularly severe in some areas such as the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India. About 1,000 people have died since the flooding started in June.

In response, World Vision Bangladesh has partnered with the government to distribute food, such as lentils, vegetable oil and rice, as well as candles, matches and soap, to the communities most severely affected by the floods in the northern Netrokona district, 159 kilometers north of Dhaka.

"Four assessment teams of World Vision Disaster Response Teams have visited the affected areas to conduct key assessments, which will inform the relief operation proposals currently being prepared," said David Sangma, a World Vision project manager in Bangladesh.

The most pressing needs are for water and food, as well as basic household, survival items and health care. World Vision's initial response will be to provide for those pressing needs and then to assess further what the organization can do to help.

World Vision is accepting donations to help victims of this disaster. If you'd like to donate, click here or please call 1-800-268-1650.

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Motivated by our Christian faith, we serve all people regardless of religion, race, gender or ethnicity.

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For more information contact:
Yoko Kobayashi
905-565-6200 ext. 2151
416-677-0086 (cell)
yoko_kobayashi@WorldVision.ca