ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 17, 2007  

ELCA Helps Fund Flood-Relief Efforts in South Asia
07-142-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- About 23 million people are believed to be
affected in Bangladesh, India and Nepal from what is being
described as the worst flooding in "living memory."  In response
to the floods in South Asia, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) has provided an initial $120,000 in August to
support relief efforts there.
     "The sheer size and scale of flooding and the massive number
of people affected pose an 'unprecedented challenge to the
delivery of desperately-needed humanitarian assistance,'"
according to a statement from the United Nations, reported the
Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, spokesperson for ELCA Global Mission.
The United Nations describes the floods as the "worst in living
memory," he said.
     In India some 1,200 people have lost their homes, said
Ishida.  "Eyewitnesses said the rains have continued for 20 days,
flooding out about 14 million people who live along the Ganges
River, which flows east to Bangladesh.  Tens of thousands of
people have left their homes and taken shelter in temporary camps
on higher ground.  Most of the people could not carry food or
clothing during the evacuation and are consequently dependent on
assistance from the government and/or nongovernmental
organizations."
     About 5 million people in Bangladesh have been forced out of
their homes and farms, reported Ishida.  "A total of 10 million
people may be affected as floodwaters continue to rise, according
to Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh" (LHCB), he said.  "This
figure may increase, since many areas in Bangladesh cannot be
reached."
     About 270,000 people in Nepal have been displaced from their
homes because of floods and landslides, said Ishida.
     The ELCA has committed an initial $100,000 to support relief
work in India.  The funds will be implemented by the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF) India program, said Ishida.  The LWF is a
global communion of 140 Lutheran churches representing 66.7
million Christians.  The ELCA is a member of the LWF.
     The ELCA has sent $20,000 to support the work of the LHCB,
an ELCA companion ministry.
- - -
     The home page for Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh is at
http://www.lhcb.org/ on the Web.

INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS:
Editors:  When listing organizations receiving funds for aid to
survivors of major disasters outside the United States, Puerto
Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include:
ELCA International Disaster Response, PO Box 71764, Chicago, IL
60694-1764, 1-800-638-3522 and
http://www.ELCA.org/disaster/idrgive on the Internet.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
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