Floods force thousands from homes in northern India

Floods in the Indian states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have forced around 800,000 people to flee their homes.

The states have experienced heavy monsoon rains for nearly three weeks, causing rivers to burst their banks. Dozens have been killed and 700 villages submerged in the worst flooding to hit the area in three decades.

Christian Aid now fears the outbreak of waterborne diseases.

It has released £50,000 to provide fresh water and clean sanitation to 131 flood-affected villages in the Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts of north-eastern Assam.

A further 300,000 euros has been secured from the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Humanitarian Office to fund Christian Aid's assistance in the region for the next six months.

In Assam, the situation is complicated by fighting between ethnic groups, which has also caused people to flee their homes.

"Flooding began again last week with a majority of rivers and tributaries flowing over the danger mark on Sunday. This has added to the already existing human agony caused by the on-going ethnic conflict situation which has forced communities to flee to relief camps across the state," said Christian Aid’s Regional Emergency Manager, South Asia, Ram Kishan.

Christian Aid has been providing humanitarian assistance to people affected by the ongoing feud between the tribal Bodos and Muslims.

It is working through local partner CASA (Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action) to assist 1,500 families from the 25 worst affected villages who are now residing in relief camps.

They have received £30,000 of food, water, sanitation support and essential non-food items.