Japanese Red Cross responds to flooding*Entry by Gina Holmes, Public Affairs team, Ottawa*
The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world.
SRI LANKA: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), in partnership with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society signed an agreement with the Government of India to reach out to more families affected by the conflict in Sri Lanka. The project involves the construction or repair of 43,000 housing units in the northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. It aims to provide assistance to the most vulnerable families. The construction and repair of the houses will be undertaken by the beneficiaries themselves through an owner-driven approach, which encourages people to take the lead in rebuilding their own homes, with the Red Cross providing technical assistance and support.
JAPAN: As Japan’s southern island of Kyushu and other areas were pounded by a year’s worth of rain over just a few days, triggering floods and landslides, Japanese Red Cross Society volunteers and staff have been working to provide medical care and relief to those hit by the disaster. The society’s Kumamoto Chapter mobilized two medical teams, consisting of doctors and nurses, to Aso City, in the worst-affected area, providing medical care and first aid to the affected population.
AFGHANISTAN: A surprise downpour in Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul on July 8 led to severe flash flooding that devastated a densely populated area of the city’s west. Typically, Kabul experiences dry weather during the summer season. The flash flooding that occurred last week washed away several houses near the banks of the river. Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) response teams visited and surveyed the affected area and with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, distributed food items including rice, cooking oil, salt, sugar, tea and beans, as well as non-food items such as tents, jerry cans, tarpaulins, blankets and kitchen sets.
IFRC= International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Socities