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Please help South Asia flood victims

20/ 8/2007

I am appealing to your readers to join me in supporting Help the Aged in their emergency appeal for the victims of the South Asia Floods.

Nearly 25 million people have been displaced after some of the worst monsoon flooding in living memory hit a wide swathe of northern India, Bangladesh and Nepal. 700 villages were reportedly under water in my own home state of Andhra Pradesh just last week.

Million of people need urgent humanitarian assistance to cope with the loss of livelihoods, food and access to healthcare. Help the Aged partners in India and Bangladesh are mounting an operation to deliver food, water, medicine and clothing to older people and families that have lost everything to the flooding. They desperately need monies in excess of £400,000 to get the right help to those worst affected.

Although floodwaters are slowly receding, the health situation is deteriorating. With over 100,000 people already affected by dysentery or diarrhoea and contaminated water supplies. The high risks of water-borne diseases are a life threatening danger for millions of people.

There is also a growing fear that the worst monsoon season for over 30 years has yet to hit its stride; exposing displaced families to the further misery of torrential rain and high winds without adequate shelter or provisions.

Please consider a donation to the Help the Aged South Asia Flood appeal. Donations can be made online at www.helptheaged.org.uk at your nearest Help the Aged shop, or by telephoning 0207 239 1983.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully

Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE DL