Leh Flash Floods

Leh, in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir of India has experienced a Cloud burst in the intervening night of the 5th-6th August, 2010. The sudden natural phenomena especially due to the unpreparedness of the communities in the villages and towns of the occurrence and therefore the lack of coping strategy became a disaster. The devastation is to be seen all across the areas affected by the cloud burst. The gushing waters brought rumbling boulders many upto two tonnes in weight, leaving little choice for the residents except to run for their lives. The official figures are sever underestimates, with hearsay of some people being washed away as far as 40 Kms away. There still is no account of many migrant labourers from Bihar and Nepal, the work-force of carpenters, masons and casual labour. Many tourists turned volunteers overnight, giving up their trekking gear to shovels and pick-axes. The international tourists were second only to the Indian Army in their response, and get full credit for rescuing whatever or whoever could be rescued. It also b rought in drones of relief workers that were hitherto less known in the field of disaster response.
One of the first agencies to reach the area, HelpAge India quickly realised the challenges. HelpAge India provided some immediate relief assistance and recovery options. One of the first and continuing interventions of HelpAge India, were the Mobile Medical Units. Reaching inaccessible areas were a team of qualified medical professionals, para-medics in a vehicle equipped with free medicines. The team would register patients, prescribe and provide medication and review progress. Children, women and men continue to approach the Mobile Medical Unit and the 12 sites, despite the health emergency abating, essential reason being that of access. Analysis of over 2500 treatments indicate that allergic reactions and respiratory tract infections are increasing. Skin infections, attributable to the dust and the non-adherance to recommended personal hygiene are also on the upward swing. Key to mention here is that even in normal conditions, usage of water for cleansing and washing are severely limited, and the situation has only added to the existing problems. A trained gynaecologist is also currently stationed to meet the requirement of girl children and women. In 3 instances, the vehicle also became an ambulance in the middle of the night, to refer patients to the Government Civil Hospital and the Army Hospital.
Three Agecare and Wellness Centres would replace the Mobile Medical Unit on their de-induction under the Recovery Options. One of the first reactions, for a “Cloud Burst” and floods were the plans to establish “Community (soup) kitchens” and provide for food relief to families affected. Thankfully, it was realised that the Army with its Corp headquarters at Leh and the Para-military forces, set up the kitchens in no time and together the Indian Army, the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) and the first of local relief agencies have already satiated the need for materials like blankets, clothes and such other requirements. The locals reported that within the first 10 days, some of the affected and even the relatively safe households, within the area affected except cut-off areas like Neemu had enough to donate!!
HelpAge India recognised the changed need for Winter relief. However, it was also a realisation that for every person/family affected, there were at the least 3 families if not five that stood in the queue. Seven of the 11 Numberdars (selected representatives of the village community) met personally have expressed that most agencies and stocks would disappear by mid-October and that is when the actual needs and the real needy would be known. Till such periods, theNumberdars mention, the list of affected continue to grow and the Numberdars would not want to hurt the feelings of their fellow villages.
To ensure that there are no exclusion errors and to ensure that there is enough for every needy individual or family, HelpAge India has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) or partnership agreement with monasteries like the Thiksey Monastery, who would in turn identify a search committee, select the real needy and provide monthly rations to such families, till June 2011. We were successful with only the Thiksey Monastery, wherein an Memorandum of understanding was signed for supporting 100 identified families while Hemis Monastery was also offered similar support, yet to respond, since the Abbot is in China. Another MoU was signed with the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre at Choglamsar to support the 30 residents of their Old Age Home, for a period of nine months. The residents are a mix of the Aged as also the mentally challenged. The Mahabodhi Centre had taken a severe beating in the aftermath and therefore was seriously constrained in maintaining. A large portion of the Old Age Home has become irreparable and the priority for the Centre was to reconstruct that portion of the Home, so as to move the residents currently under tents back into their rooms.
Based on the principle of Equity, a total of 162 Kanals for levelling and 35 kanals for filling were identified by HelpAge India. The purpose was if the land reclamation was completed on time before the onset of winter using machinery like excavators (JCB in common parlance, after J. C. Bamford, the manufacturer) and dump trucks, the land would become productive for the next season.
The populations have been affected both physically (loss of property, life and limb) and psychologically with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. It was identified that the Fitness and Wellness Centre will provide the following services.

Fitness (Physiotherapy, Yoga/Meditation - through volunteer qualified physiotherapist & Yoga teacher)

Health Desk (basic health check-up equipment & medicines - through volunteer doctor and traditional medicine man - Aamchi)
Recreation & Active Ageing (TV, indoor games, musical instruments, reading material, etc.)
Counselling Desk (psychological and other professional counselling through qualified volunteers including senior citizens).

It is realised that there is potential for promotion of the concept of CMDRR, as essentially this is a gap area and there is scope for action. The preliminary ideas are of establishing the Disaster Preparedness and Management Committees at eight locations that have already been serviced by the Mobile Medical Unit as part of the immediate medical relief and where an acceptable level of acceptance generated. The eight tentative locations planned are Phyang, Thiksey, Shey, Choglamsar, Leh, Sabu, Stakna & Spituk. Representatives of the DPMCs would be trained in the CMDRR approaches (with appropriate support from ASK) and the CMDRR plans materialised for longer term interventions.