2008

India
n red
Cross
Socie
ty

[BIHAR FLOOD, FNS

RESPONSE]
[Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short
summary of the contents of the document. Type the abstract of the document
here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document.]
 Bihar Floods, FNS Response 200
8

Overview

The Kosi River eroded its embankment in Nepal about 12 K.M. up stream
of the barrage as a result of which the embankment breached on 18th of
August 2008 and the river started
flowing on an entirely new course.
The water spread along the new
course is 15 K.M. wide and is
heading straight down south. The
most affected districts due to the
breach of the kosi embankment
were the north eastern districts of
Bihar namely, Supual, Madhipura,
Araria, Purnia and Saharsa. More
than 30 lakh people and their
houses fall in the path of the new
course. More than 10 lakh people
were evacuated; currently 407
relief camps are giving shelter to
over 4.5 lakh people.

The current of the river forced

people to run for their life leading to huge displacement of population and
separation of families. Relief such as food, clothing and shelter was
provided to the affected population but very little attention was given to
the agony of separation from the family. The media continuously
highlighted the issue of missing persons and separated families,
prompting the Government to react on the same. The Department of
Social Welfare (DSW) in Bihar was made responsible to tackle the issue of
missing persons and separated families. The DSW further on approached
several organizations in the State, including UNICEF, Don Bosco and the
IRCS to get involved in tracing activities. A local organisation called
Jeevika launched a database developed to register the missing people
and their family members.

According to the information received on the ground, the number of

missing persons and separated families is potentially very high. A local
organization has reported around 330 cases from only 30 relief camps
while Divisional Commissioner (covering three affected districts) shared
information on 129 persons registered as missing in his area of
responsibility.

On 12th September 2008 the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) deployed its
5 member team trained in tracing of missing persons. This team consisted
 Bihar Floods, FNS Response 200
8

of Family News Service (FNS) Co-ordinator from NHQ, Ms. Shazia Kawos
from Jammu & Kashmir, Mr. N. Krishnamurthy from Tamil Nadu, Ms.
Vandana Singh from Bihar and Mr. Dusan Vujasanini Tracing Delegate
from ICRC

The IRCS team participated in the tracing coordination meeting with

representatives of Department of Social Welfare (DSW), Jeevika, UNICEF,
Save the Children, Don Bosco in Patna, Bihar on Saturday, 13 September
2008.

The IRCS and ICRC representative briefed the participants on the RC/RC
Movement Family Links Network and the current capacity to address RFL
needs in Bihar. The present actors were introduced to Tracing forms, IRCS
RFL posters, brochures, procedural guidelines, etc. All the participants
agreed that the already existing IRCS tracing dissemination material
should be used for the promotion of the service. The IRCS and ICRC have
been requested to train volunteers from all organization, as our expertise
in tracing has been deeply acknowledged.

The methodology to be adopted to respond to the tracing needs of the

flood affected population was designed.

Methodology adopted to address the needs

• A Tracing network to be set up by mobilising around 300 trained

hundred volunteers who would visit the relief camps for registering
missing persons in the affected districts of Bihar.
• Training of trainers and focal persons about 15 in number who will
monitor the volunteers according to the district.
• Each district will have a district co-ordinator who will co-ordinate
with the assign task to the volunteers, monitor the work doen;
report on the number of cases collected on daily basis. These
district co-ordinators would be appointed by co-ordinating
organisations.
• To technically support the work of the district co-ordinator the IRCS
would assist in tracing and other related issues.
• All the collected data shall be uploaded on the database developed
for further matching and tracing of missing persons.(Database on
www.vikasdwar.com)
 Bihar Floods, FNS Response 200
8

• With the help of media the list of the missing persons and family
members looking for them shall be published in news papers. Poster
bearing this information shall be displayed in all the relief camps.
• Development of additional communication/dissemination material
by Save the Children for dissemination of this service along with the
Toll-free number of the missing persons helpline – 18003456123.

Response

The established tracing network of 300 volunteers and 5 district co-

ordination from IRCS , Unicef, Save the Children, Jeevika and other local
organisation started their work in the field on 15th September 2008. The
IRCS had posted 3 team members in district of Araria, Purnia and Supual.
Out of the total volunteers strength around 80 volunteers IRCS district
branches were mobilised to carry out the task. The IRCS Tracing team was
geographically divided to co-ordinate 3 most affected districts namely,
Araria, Purpia, Saharsa.

The day before the Volunteers could

march into the camps for their task they
were trained for the task with the help of
group work, role plays. The volunteers
were taught the ways of disseminating
the service, building rapport with the
camp co-ordinators to facilitate them in
providing the services. Ways to deal with
beneficiaries was also demonstrated to the volunteers. On 17th September
the volunteers in all 3 district started their task the camps were divided
among all the volunteers.

Saharsa

The district of Saharsa was one of

the most affected districts of Bihar.
The district had total number of the
team of 35 volunteers were
working in the district for
registering the families of the
 Bihar Floods, FNS Response 200
8

missing persons. Out of 65 small and big relief camps 53 camps

occupying more than 30 thousand persons were visited by the
volunteers. The Sonbarsa and Patargaht block of the Saharsa district
were most affected and therefore due to lack of connectivity some relief
camps in this part of the district could not be visited. With complete
dedication in four days 35 volunteers visited about 53 camps in
the district.

The volunteers were successful in registering 120 missing

persons of 48 families out of the total number 2 unaccompanied
children were registered.

Araria

The district of Araria is one of the worst affected districts along the border
of India and Nepal. Some blocks of the district are still marooned. There
are about 57 camps occupying a total number of 91 thousand
persons. In all 30 volunteers are working in Araria for
registration of missing persons. So far volunteers have been
successful in registering 430
persons of 174 families were
registered missing. The process
of registering the people still
continues in the district.

Purnia

This affected district had about 25

camps occupying a total population
of 52 thousand persons. 60
volunteers are working in the district
for registration of missing family members.

The volunteers have successfully registered about 240 missing persons

the registration is still continuing in some blocks of the district.

Supual and Madhipura

In the district of Supual 21 volunteers of IRCS along with 40

volunteers of other local organisations are working on the registration.
Where are in Madhipura district 600 persons are missing.

In last 15 days time volunteers have registered 1985 persons

missing in 5 affected districts.
 Bihar Floods, FNS Response 200
8

Way Ahead

The co-ordinating organisations are still working on the task and have
decided their way forward in restoring the interrupted family links. The
following task is been devided among the organisations for better
execution.

• To complete the collection of tracing request from the field at the earliest.

• To enter new collected tracing requests into database and simultaneously

attribute reference numbers to individual cases.

• Perform matching of the collected data.

• Preliminary matches to be crosschecked and confirmed.

• Separated family members are to be informed in the fastest possible way

which is to be determined by the matching team (directly contacting
separated persons through mobile telephones if available, contacting
them through camp coordinators or through tracing volunteers in the field)

• To obtain official government list of persons who have died in relation to

the floods in Bihar. In charge

• List of missing persons is to be compared with the official list of dead

persons for any potential matches.

• The list of missing persons and enquirers is to be printed in the local

newspapers having maximum circulation in the affected areas. The kind of
lists to be printed on the poster, including toll free number in the camps.

• The work of the help line is to be monitored and supervised constantly

Keep record of all action, positive matches, telephone calls, new cases,
etc.

Conclusion

The mission has proved to be a test for the capacity building effort and
preparedness of the IRCS FNS unit and the result The material developed
by FNS was extensively used for dissemination such as posters,
brochures. The Volunteers Hand Book also proved to a very important tool
 Bihar Floods, FNS Response 200
8

in the field especially the chapter on dealing with beneficiaries. For the
first time the IRCS provided tracing services in such a massive scale.