United Nations to provide humanitarian support to affected communities in India

Washington, Aug 12: The United Nations stands ready to provide humanitarian support to the most vulnerable and affected communities in India, a spokesperson for the UN Secretary General has said amid heavy monsoon in the region.

"In neighbouring India, the monsoon there has reportedly claimed more than 770 lives. According to authorities, more than 500,000 people have been evacuated. The UN stands ready to provide humanitarian support to the most vulnerable and affected communities in India," Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General António Guterres said.

Giving an update from UN humanitarian colleagues on flooding in Asia, Dujarric said in Bangladesh, people are experiencing the worst and longest monsoon flooding in years, with a quarter of the country being inundated.

At least 5.4 million people have been affected by severe flooding, with 11,000 households displaced and 135 people killed, he added. Humanitarian partners are working with the Government of Bangladesh to provide food, shelter, clean water, hygiene supplies and other supplies.

A USD 40 million response plan has been launched to help the more than one million of the people most in need in the country.

Meanwhile, in Kerala's Idukki, the death toll in the tragic landslide in Pettimudi in the high range Idukki district rose to 52 with three more bodies being recovered from the debris as rescue operations continued to trace those missing.

Personnel of NDRF, Fire, Forest and police departments have expanded their search operations to the downstream of a river in their efforts to trace 19 more people who were still missing in the August 7 tragedy near Rajamala.

Search is also being carried out at the site of the disaster to trace those feared trapped in the debris, the officials said.