for

1. 2003: In the month of September 8 blocks of Malda district, including Ratua and
Harishchandrapur got flooded due to a breach in the embankment of Fulahar river. Since other
places were closer to highway, attention of government and other NGOs was on them. One mid-
level local NGO was asked to help in Ratua because that was more affected than
Harischandrapur. The NGO worked for more than one month, providing food, clothes, temporary
shelter and medical assistance. In all places relief operations were withdrawn by 15 October. On
24th of October the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) called the head of the NGO that helped in
Ratua to come and help in Harishchandrapur as 92 people had died of diarrhea in the last 7 days!
The NGO had already gone through fatigue due to the recently concluded flood relief. Also, the
NGO did not have its previous presence in the area. But, after several requests, and by when
death toll went up to 98, the NGO sent two health workers and 5 volunteers along with some IEC
materials, medicines and ORS to support the government. What the NGO saw was more than 60
- 100 people lying in pool of faeces in the three health centers (that had a capacity of 5 – 10
persons each) that were poorly manned. There were families in which everyone had been
infected, and no one to support one another, with families lying on filth with no medical care and
not able to go to health centers. Each day 400 – 600 new cases were being reported in the health
centers alone.
The NGO organized awareness campaigns through loud speaker about usage of water, hand-
washing, safe disposal of faeces, preparation & use of ORS, with mainly pictorial posters. The
local cycle vans and laud speakers were hired along with local volunteers for movement of
health workers in motorcycles, to reach far off villages for emergency medical care. In another
10 days, the diarrhea level dropped to controllable level of only 30 – 50 cases per day. Total of
109 persons had died in the enteric diseases although no one had lost life in the flood. In 15 days
the emergency response was withdrawn and the [NGO continued to work in the block for next
three years to improve the health and development indicators.]
Question:
1. List all the risks in the event. Separate Health related risks and other risks.
2. What went wrong? Discuss in the group.
3. Mark each risk in the given graph based on their suspected IMPACT Level and Probability
level (Write Health risks in black color and other risks in red/blue color for easy understanding)
2011: In the month of August 7 blocks of Malda district, including Ratua and Harishchandrapur
got flooded due to a breach in the embankment of Fulahar river. The District Addl. District
Collector who was in-charge of relief operations was formerly (in 2003) the SDO of the sub-
division in which Ratua and Harishchandrapur are located. He called Mr. Puthumai on 20 Aug
when the flood level had risen and nearly the entire block of Ratua was under water after a major
breach in Fulahar river. Indeed the flood situation was worse than the previous major flood in
2003. Within 24 hours a coordination meeting was held in Ratua and Harishchandrapur, so that
Food support, temporary shelter support and medical assistance were coordinated. Unicef

2. supported through additional temporary shelter provision, ORS packets and water containers. A
rapid assessment report was filed after a joint assessment of CKS, Unicef consultant and
government officials. Accordingly CKS was asked to coordinate local water and sanitation
related issues. There were nearly 11,000 people in 32 camps. From day two, works on cleaning
of water sources started. At the block level information was shared on daily basis. Area for
cleaning of water sources was divided between PHED, CKS and one other local NGO. Local
clubs provided 10 volunteers who were trained in water purification and IEC materials. Schools
and health centers were used for information dissemination on hygiene practices. On daily basis
data from all health centers was analysed, and extension health camps were organized for
symptomatic response. In another 10 days Unicef asked Oxfam to support the areas with
additional Non-Food Items and strengthen WASH related interventions. When relief was
officially withdrawn on 30 Sept, there were total of 9 deaths, (drowning and snake bite cases) in
both the blocks put together. Not a single death was reported due to any enteric disease, which is
in stark contrast to 2003, when 38 people had died in Ratua due to drowning, snake bite etc in a
much smaller flood, and 109 persons in Harischandrapur due to diarrhea.
Question:
1. List all the risks in the event. Separate Health related risks and other risks.
2. What went well? Discuss in the group.
3. Mark each risk in the given graph based on their suspected IMPACT Level and Probability
level (Write Healtr risks in black color and other risks in red/blue color for easy understanding)