Animal rescue operation underway in flooded Bihar, India

10 September 2008

(Bihar, India) - Entire villages have been washed away in India’s northern state of Bihar after a deadly combination of monsoon rains and a burst dam caused flooding that spread over many miles of farming land. IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) deployed an Emergency Relief team to the impacted area and has since treated and fed over 6,000 starving livestock that escaped the fury of the catastrophic floods.

Coordinating with the government rescue and relief authorities, the 10-member team, which includes vets and animal care staff, have been making daily trips inside the flood hit areas by boat and four wheel drives to help animals as well as educate animal owners on precautions to prevent worm infestations and disease outbreaks.

"The footprint of the flood is huge and we have been concentrating in a small but very badly affected area in the Araria and Supaul district," said Dr. Anjan Talukdar, IFAW team veterinarian. The team is also being helped by volunteers from IFAW’s Emergency Relief Network in India

Northern Bihar is agricultural country, rich with cattle which are considered as wealth. "People value their livestock here and won’t just let it go. Those who left animals behind were forced to. They are as dear to them as their children" Ajatshatru Singh, a local leader said.

Although the water is slowly receding and has drained out of several villages, the people are unable to return home. Locals estimate the number of cattle in the area to be about 24,000. Many more are still marooned in the interiors and have had no food for three weeks. As the water level recedes, the rotting carcasses of many animals that were not saved from the floods could pose a threat of spreading diseases.

Pradyut Jha was one such farmer who stayed back at the Chainpur village with his cattle. The village looked like a tidal surge had gone through it. Whole trees had been uprooted. All the bamboo and mud huts had collapsed. The brick and mud houses were damp and dripping. Water was flowing through parts of the village. As the boats came close to the village, the IFAW team waded through waist deep water to get to get inside. Snakes swam away as they waded forward. The team found 10 cows and three goats on a platform with one recently dead cow amidst them. The animals were listless, mouthing some dry straw and looked very weak.

For media-related inquiries, contact:
Michael Booth, IFAW International
Tel: +1-508-648-3556
Email: mbooth@ifaw.org

Shibani Chaudhury, Wildlife Trust of India
Tel: +91 0120 4143900
Email: shibani@wti.org.in

Kerry Glenn, IFAW Asia Pacific Communications Officer
Tel: +61 9288 4993
Mobile: 0437 414 329
Email: kglenn@ifaw.org

Photo © IFAW