| SSVK Overview |
| Bihar is India’s most flood-prone State, with 76% of the population in the north Bihar living under the recurring threat of flood devastation. 16.5% of the total flood affected area in India is located in Bihar while 22.1% of the flood affected population in India lives in Bihar. About 68,800 square kilometers out of a total geographical area of 94,160 square kilometers comprising 73.06% is flood affected. Floods in Bihar are an annually recurring disaster affecting huge human and livestock population and causing huge damages to agricultural crops, houses and public infrastructure. In between 1979 and 2006, floods of varying intensity have ravaged Bihar on an annually recurrent basis affecting on an average an area of 1.39 mha, a human population of 7.71million and a livestock population of 1.55 million per annum. Crop losses have been on an average to the tune of Rs 1423.33 million per annum and that of public property to the tune of Rs 568.30 million. Loss of human lives has been on an average of 210 per annum and that of livestock at 680 per annum. |
KOSI CATASTROPHE 2008 AN OVERVIEW BY SSVK
The Incidence
A human tragedy of unparalleled dimensions unleashed itself on millions residing in the 7 North Bihar Districts of Supaul, Araria, Madhepura, Saharsa, Purnia, Khagaria and Katihar due to a breach in the in the eastern Kosi embankment upstream of the Indian border at Kushaha in neighbouring Nepal on the 18th of August, 2008. Following the breach, River Kosi, often referred to as the “sorrow of Bihar”, picked up a channel it had abandoned over 200 years ago, drowning towns and numerous villages coming in the way of its newly acquired course, affecting more than 3 million people. Still worse this altered course now cuts through an area which ever since the construction of the eastern Kosi Embankment almost 5 decades ago had lived in the relative comfort of being flood protected. Unlike floods, this is not calm water but an angry torrent, making relief work very difficult.
The Impact
With the river virulently flowing through its new found course, lakhs of people were caught unawares. Apart from loss of land, crops, homes, human and livestock lives and massive damage to infrastructure; close to a million found themselves marooned . According to a release of the Disaster Management Department of Government of Bihar dated 21/01/09, the following is the eventual status of the impact of floods in the 5 worst affected districts:
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Supaul |
Madhepura |
Araria |
Saharsa |
Purnea |
Total |
Affected Details |
No. of blocks affected |
5 |
11 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
35 |
Name of affected blocks |
Basantpur Pratapganj Raghopur Chhatapur Triveniganj |
Shankarpur, Puraini, Kumarkhand, Chausa, Singheshwar, Alamnagar, Murliganj, Madhepura, Bihariganj, Gwalpara, Udaikikishunganj |
Narpatganj Bhargama Forbesganj Raniganj (W) |
Saurbazar, Nauhata, Patharghat, Sonbarsa, Simri Bakhtiarpur, Banmi Itari |
Banmankhi, Dhamdaha, K. Nagar, Vaisee, Barhara Kothi, Amaur, Bhawanipur, Baisa, Rupauli |
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No. of panchayats Affected |
65 |
140 |
71 |
59 |
77 |
412 |
No. of Villages Affected |
173 |
370 |
141 |
169 |
140 |
993 |
Population Affected |
670709 |
1419856 |
626062 |
448796 |
164000 |
3329423 |
No. of Families Affected |
186661 |
374798 |
140895 |
114471 |
41645 |
858470 |
Livestock Affected |
132500 |
303640 |
80000 |
161000 |
35000 |
712140 |
Area affected in lakh |
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hectares |
0.51 |
1.59 |
0.45 |
0.38 |
0.47 |
3.4 |
No. of Houses damaged (Pucca, Kuchha and Jhopadi |
130207 |
114545 |
8439 |
25045 |
7562 |
285798 |
No. of persons evacuated |
370000 |
335110 |
107937 |
115945 |
65000 |
993992 |
No. of Human Death |
211 |
272 |
2 |
44 |
1 |
530 |
No. of Livestock Death |
97 |
10725 |
0 |
22 |
0 |
10844 |
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| Our Supporters |
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SSVK Bihar total coverage of population around (1,20,000 ) one lac twenty thousand including (60,000 ) sixty thousand childrens through Relief & Rehabilitation programme in Madhepura & Saharsa districts.
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18/8 Bihar river KOSI catastrophy & SSVK expenditure of relief – 2008 ( Implemented ) Rupees % in Crore |
18/8 Bihar river KOSI catastrophe & ssvk expected expenditure of rehabilitation–2009 (Implementing ) Rupees % in Crore |
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Click on the Graph to zoom |
Click on the Graph to zoom |
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| Flood Related Reports / News Published in Regional & National Newspaper : |
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| Analytical Articles |
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| Reports |
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| SSVK Bihar Flood Relief Intervention Updates |
- 1st status update report for United Way of Mumbai
- A Report on health training in Madhepura ssvk flood relief camp supported by UNICEF - organised by SSVK
- Status update report 1+2 for Krishna Arpanam Mumbai
- SSVK Flood Relief Intervention with Support from Swiss Red Cross, Switzerland
- Krishna Arpanam & SSVK - Kosi response synopsis - 2 Feb 2009
- Brief Report on the support extended by All India Disaster Management Institute
( AIDMI ) to SSVK for reaching out to Kosi Flood Victims.
- II nd phase ssvk relief intervention status update report for United Way of Mumbai
( Duration 1st March to 16th March 2009 )
- SSVK Bihar Flood Relief Interventation Report of madhepura district Bihar-1 for Subodh Gupta,Bharti Kher,Nature Morte,Trident Hotel & Saffron Art
- Operational Report for Phase II for Subodh Gupta,Bharti Kher,Nature Morte,Trident Hotel & SaffronArt
- Interim Operational Report of SSVK for United Way for the Livelihood Support Programme for Kosi Flood Victims in Kumarkhand Block of Madhepura District Bihar
- SSVK Operaional Report for HSBC for the Livelihood Support Programme for Kosi Flood Victims in Kumarkhand Block of Madhepura District Bihar
- SSVK Phase III Report On Post Kosi Floods Rehabilitative Intervention for Subodh Gupta,Bharti Kher,Nature Morte,Trident Hotel & SaffronArt
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A human tragedy of unparalleled dimensions has unleashed itself on millions residing in the 7 North Bihar Districts of Supaul, Araria, Madhepura, Saharsa, Purnia, Khagaria and Katihar due to a breach in the in the eastern Kosi embankment upstream of the Indian border at Kushaha in neighbouring Nepal on the 18th of August, 2008. Following the breach, River Kosi, often referred to as the sorrow of Bihar, picked up a channel it had abandoned over 200 years ago, drowning towns and numerous villages coming in the way of its newly acquired course, affecting more than 2 million people. . Apart from loss of land, crops and homes, close to a million find themselves marooned. With the river flowing through its new found course as a miles-wide stream to the Ganga, over almost 100km south; lakhs of people have been caught unawares. Officials here say it's a catastrophe unlike annual floods. Though for the time being evacuation assumes paramount significance, much worse lies in wait for those rescued as many of them have scarce chances of returning to their original habitation which has been devoured by the new course of Kosi. Even if government assertions of plugging the breach and restoring the river to its pre-breach channel are to be believed, it still entails a minimum wait time of 8 to 9 months for them. Displaced and shorn of all assets, these people require the support of all concerned to get their life back on the rails. The tragedy is too colossal to be left alone to the mercy of the state. Despite its best intentions and efforts, the enormity of the task places it beyond the resources the state government has at its command.
We, at SSVK have had a long standing organizational presence in the affected districts of Supaul, Araria,Saharsa,Purnia, Khagaria and Madhepura.In this hour of crisis, we look upon the need of our intervention as a moral imperative. Hence, we appeal to all concerned to contribute in whatever way they can. Most urgently, the food, clothing, shelter, drinking water and health needs of these halpless victims need to be addressed. So for the time being you could contribute in forms which address these needs. Contributions are welcome in cash or kind. We assure you of utmost transparency and accountability in making use of your contributions.
Bihar Floods - An Appeal for Logistical Support by Samajik Shaikshanik Vikas Kendra (SSVK)
Floods, unprecedented in the past 50 years have struck North Bihar. Worse still, they have primarily hit areas which were rated as relatively secure. The nature of crisis adds another tragic dimension as it has been precipitated by a change in the course of River Kosi which, following a breach in its eastern embankment, picked up a channel it had abandoned over 200 years ago, drowning towns and numerous villages coming in the way of its newly acquired course, affecting more than 2 million people. Apart from loss of land, crops and homes, more than a million find themselves marooned. With the river flowing through its new found course as a miles-wide stream to the Ganga, over almost 100km south; lakhs of people have been caught unawares. Though fifteen days have passed since the breach occurred, lakhs remain marooned and the rampaging waters continue maintaining their devastating spread.
in wait Though for the time being evacuation assumes paramount significance, much worse lies for those rescued as many of them have scarce chances of returning to their original habitation which has been devoured by the new course of Kosi. Even if government assertions of plugging the breach and restoring the river to its pre-breach channel are to be believed, it still entails a minimum wait time of 8 to 9 months for them. Displaced and shorn of all assets, these people require the support of all concerned to get their life back on the rails. The tragedy is too colossal to be left alone to the mercy of the state. Despite its best intentions and efforts, the enormity of the task places it beyond the resources the state government has at its command.
Given this context, Samajik Shaikshanik Vikas Kendra (SSVK), in light of its 22 years of experience in running relief and rehabilitation programmes, has prioritized for itself the need to intervene in four of the worst affected districts namely Saharsa, Supaul, Madhepura and Araria. Having already gone in appeal for resource mobilisation, both short term and long term, for the flood affected, logistics of coordinating and managing operations on such a scale is perceived as a constraint area by us. The scale of operations places an exceptional demand on mobility which, unless backed by adequate vehicular support, would adversely impact the relief and rehabilitation initiatives. We deem the following vehicular support as critical for the successful carriage of our operations.
Type of vehicle |
Numbers required |
Jeep |
2 (one for each intervention district) |
Motor Cycle |
2 |
Bicycle |
55 |
While not flinching from putting in resources specifically directed at the flood victims, most of the donors are a little wary of putting resources beyond a limited extent into logistical support and there too for recurring costs and not for capital costs. Hence, this appeal is specifically directed at those donors, who are willing to extend support on this count. Our assurance is value added work for the support we get from them.
You can send the DD / Cheque also in favour of Samajik Shaikshanik Vikas Kendra
FCRA Account Details
( For foreign grant / donations please use this account )
Core Banking
STATE BANK OF INDIA, JHANJHARPUR
Bank Code: 03266
IFSC Code: SBIN0003266
Account No: 11462682338
General Account Details
( For Indian fund / grant / donations please use these accounts )
- STATE BANK OF INDIA, JHANJHARPUR
IFSC Code: SBIN0003266
Bank Code: 03266
Account No 11462685088
- Bank Name: INDUSIND BANK
Account Number: 0055F62519-001
IFSC Code: INDB0000055
Savings Account-Multi-City
Rajendra Ram Plaza Exhibtion Road
Patna-800001
For further details and clarifications, kindly contact us at the following:
- State Co-ordination cum Correspondence Office:
Samajik Shaikshanik Vikas Kendra (SSVK)
Lok Shakti Bhawan,
Opp: Ajay Nilayan Apartment,
Nageshwar Colony, Boring Road
Patna – 800001 (Bihar) India
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