Starvation,
Water Diseases Plaguing
Flood Victims in Bihar, India

Many people, like this man, were forced to flee their homes with just what they could carry.

Lack of food and clean water is beginning to take its toll on flood victims in Bihar, India, according to Gospel for Asia's correspondents in that area. People scrambled for shelter in Bihar as floodwaters, released by a broken dam upstream in Nepal, raced through several districts of this impoverished Indian state.

The unexpected flooding caused many to abandon their homes and seek relief in makeshift shelters, where food is scarce. Others are stranded in their villages, some living on their rooftops, waiting for rescue.

Those with access to the small food supply and the boats needed to transport people and supplies are allegedly inflating prices of the goods. A GFA correspondent said that rice is selling for four to five times its usual price. When they manage to get a little rice, it is often eaten raw because there is no clean water in which to cook it. Many wells are underwater and are now contaminated.

There are numerous reports of children wailing in hunger at the makeshift refugee camps throughout the state. Some people have already succumbed to starvation and water-borne diseases.

As the water continues to rise, many are having to be rescued from their homes.

The situation is also grim for people stranded on or near their homes. Many boat owners are demanding exorbitant fees for rescue. The amount of money being demanded is too much for the vast majority of Bihar's 12 million residents, who live on an income equivalent to less than $1 per day.

The rescue and relief work is also being slowed by the many rebel extremist groups active in the state. The rebels are taking advantage of the chaos to cause more trouble.

GFA leaders in Bihar ask for prayer for their country. They ask specifically for avenues to open so that they can get in and take care of the physical and spiritual needs of the people.

• Bihar is known as "The graveyard of missions." Click here to find out how it earned this nickname.
• GFA Compassion Services teams will be reaching out to flood victims. Find out how you can help here.