More than 270 people have been killed by flooding in India in the last month, and 1 million people are displaced. In the southern state of Kerala, the heavy rainfall that caused the flooding also triggered dozens of landslides, killing at least 95 people. While the floods initially caused destruction in southern India, northern India is preparing for further damage.

In Bangladesh, at least 700,000 people have been displaced, and hundreds more have been killed in Bangladesh and Nepal. Nearly 300,000 people in Bangladesh are displaced to makeshift shelters. The rainfall has also impacted Cox’s Bazaar, where more than 900,000 Rohingya refugees live. The rainfall and subsequent floods are particularly devastating to those dependent on crops as their means of survival.

The Church of the Nazarene is responding by distributing food staples like rice, oil, and vegetables, as well as emergency supplies like soap and blankets. They hope to distribute aid to 2,000 families in the Kerala and Karnataka districts, where the flooding in India has been most devastating. There are 13 Nazarene churches in Kerala. An additional response in Bangladesh will provide food staples and medicine to about 7,000 people.

With monsoon rains regularly delivering more than 70 percent of the country’s rainfall, floods are somewhat common. However, an uneven distribution of rainfall has made them much worse. Last year, nearly 500 people were killed by the worst floods in about a century. Led by the church, this aid builds on previous years’ disaster response.

How You Can Help

Pray

Please pray for those devastated by the rainfall and the ensuing floods. Pray for those who have lost loved ones and homes. Pray for those who are displaced and for those who have lost their sources of income. Pray for the most vulnerable, including those with special needs, the elderly, and those living in poverty. Pray for the swift delivery of essential supplies and care, and pray for faster recovery in the months ahead. To send a prayer or note of encouragement, go to ncm.org/pray.

Give

Churches and individuals around the world can provide support through the Global Emergency Relief fund. Donations through this link will support disaster relief all over the world, not only response to these floods.

To send donations by mail:

In the U.S., make checks payable to "General Treasurer" and send them to: 

Global Treasury Services
Church of the Nazarene
P.O. Box 843116
Kansas City, MO 64184-3116

Be sure to put 106117 in the Memo area.

In Canada, make checks payable to "Church of the Nazarene Canada" and send them to:

Church of the Nazarene Canada
3657 Ponytrail Drive, Mississauga, ON | L4X 1W5

Be sure to put 106117 in the Memo area.

For any other country, give through your local church or district, designating your gift to the Global Emergency Relief Fund.