Biggest Flood in 22 Years Receding But Suffering Not Over
By Vipramukhya Swami

CHAKRA (Bhaktivedanta Manor, U.K.) - October 7, 2000: The biggest flood in West Bengal in 22 years is receding, but the damage and suffering is far from over.

Flood waters reached the chest of the Sri-Sri Radha-Madhava deities on ISKCON property. The top of the massive doors into the temple room were under water. Hundreds of thousands of people lost their homes and livestock. Many people drowned.

According to the BBC on the 30th of September, "About 16 million are thought to have been hit by the floods in the Indian state of West Bengal alone, with many families living on roof tops. The number of dead there is now 758, and officials are warning that the floods could get even worse with heavy rainfall predicted in a few days time."

The flood was caused by a massive water release upstream from the Massanjore Dam, which was attributed to "unprecedented heavy rainfall." The reservoir behind the dam receives 800,000 acre feet of water every year. However, in four days, the figure crossed 1,000,000 acre feet, necessitating the release of water.

The resulting flood was catestrophic.

According to a report by BBC News, more than a quarter of Bangladesh was under water. The flood affected about 20 million people.

"Three million people in Bangladesh have been marooned and hundreds of others are missing in the worst floods for 22 years," reported the BBC.

The death toll was in the thousands and is still climbing. 

The Ganges river, known in India as the Ganga, has drastically changed course in the aftermath of the flood, especially along the west bank. It is not known if this affects ISKCON Mayapur.

Flood relief is urgently required. For more information, visit the Mayapur flood web site.

© CHAKRA 29-Nov-2003

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