A month of monsoon rains is wreaking havoc in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It is considered the heaviest monsoon rains in years. More than 1,200 people have lost their lives so far from flooding and landslides, and the United Nations estimates that around 41 million people have been affected.
Those living in regions that experience annual flooding during the season of monsoon rains are shocked at the magnitude of these floods. Mumbai, one of India’s most populous cities, received an entire month’s average rainfall in just 24 hours.
One-third of Bangladesh’s landscape is reportedly submerged, and nearly 1,500,000 acres of farmland, which is a key component of the nation’s economy, are damaged or destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of acres of crops are completely destroyed between the four nations, raising concerns of food shortages.
Displaced families are gathering under makeshift tents and tarps. They are at risk of disease and in need of food and water. Relief work is hindered by heavy rainfall, but efforts to reach those in need continue.
GFA’s field correspondents in these nations are sending numerous reports and photos of the damage and chaos in their areas, telling of the devastation and asking for prayer.
One correspondent in India writes, “The villagers are running for help in other places where their relatives are staying. There is no proper communication. They are unable to get food, clean drinking water and are having sleepless nights because of the continuous heavy rain.”
“There is no proper communication. [The villagers] are unable to get food, clean drinking water and are having sleepless nights because of the continuous heavy rain.”
Another correspondent shares about their local situation in Nepal: “Some of the missionaries and believers are badly affected by the flood and landslide. ... Their houses drowned in flood water, and they have lost their belongings. But by the grace of God, all their family members are safe. Likewise, floods have inundated thousands of [other] houses, leaving families without food and shelter.”
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