NZ Red Cross Responds To South Asia Floods

A Wellington aid worker is heading to Bangladesh this week, as part of the New Zealand Red Cross response to the devastating floods in South Asia.

Ewen Chambers-Ross, from Wellington, will be working in Bangladesh for approximately six months, to help procure relief items for hundreds of thousands of people and arrange their distribution.

The floods in Bangladesh, India and Nepal have already taken a high toll, with almost 60 million people affected across the region, and more than 1,300 killed. Reports of damage to livelihoods, infrastructure and property continue to pour in.

In Bangladesh, the flooding is described as the worst in 17 years and is only expected to worsen as the South Asian monsoon continues. Hundreds of thousands of hectares of crops have been destroyed, especially in the northern, northeastern and central districts of the country. Millions of people have taken refuge in public buildings, on road embankments, or whatever high ground they can scramble to.

NZRC Director General, Flora Gilkison, said New Zealand was already playing an important role in responding to the floods, with three senior Red Cross staff based in Delhi, including the Head of the International Federation’s South Asian Delegation, Bob McKerrow.

“New Zealand Red Cross is proud to play a part in alleviating suffering in this part of the world, through the provision of well-trained and professional staff,” she said.

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