Thiruvananthapuram, India, Aug 29, 2018 / 10:10 am
As flood waters in India's southwestern state of Kerala recede, Catholic aid agencies are helping provide aid materials to those affected by the disaster.
"The SVP in India has been extremely busy working with local fisherman to help rescue people trapped in flooded homes. SVP volunteers are collecting and coordinating the distribution of aid materials, using resources available from British donations together with their own money to buy vital goods," Johnson Varghese, president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in India, said Aug. 28.
"We desperately need donations as the rescue effort goes on. As people move back to their damaged homes, we'll be using funds to help rebuild their houses, purchase household utensils, school materials such as uniforms, books, and even livestock to replace lost farm animals."
Severe rains led to flash floods and landslides in Kerala, with some 400 people killed and more than 1 million displaced from their homes.