Maharashtra floods: US NGO to deploy medical teams to treat survivors

An American non-profit organisation will deploy medical teams to treat survivors in Maharashtra after heavy monsoon rains pummelled the region, triggering devastating landslides and flooding that have killed over 200 people and displaced thousands of others.

Three medical teams departed for Sangli, Satara and Ratnagiri on Wednesday, the non-profit body Americares said in a statement.

The teams, organised by Americares India staff in Mumbai and operated in partnership with local healthcare groups, will provide urgently needed medical care and COVID-19 education to survivors for 10 days.

According to the statement, two additional teams will depart for Kolhapur and Raigad later this week to deliver essential health services for families affected by the recent floods.

The flooding in Maharashtra has devastated communities and has put the health of thousands at risk, said Americares vice president of Emergency Response Kate Dischino.

We expect to see an increase in water-borne diseases as well as COVID-19 infections as families are forced to evacuate and stay at temporary relief shelters. Our medical teams will focus on providing survivors with critically needed primary care services to protect their health in a time of crisis, Dischino said.

According to the state government, the death toll in the last week's rain-related incidents in Maharashtra rose to 213 on Wednesday, with the worst-hit Raigad district alone accounting for nearly 100 fatalities.

As many as 4,35,879 people were shifted to safer places, including 2,11,808 in Sangli district alone, it said in a statement.

There are 349 relief camps set up for evacuated people -- 216 in Kolhapur, 74 in Sangli, 29 in Satara, 16 in Ratnagiri and 14 in Raigad, the statement added.