US Catholic relief workers from Kenya help with Bangkok flooding

CATHOLIC Relief Services (CRS) team members based in Kenya traveled to Thailand last week to offer on-the-ground support to  partners in Thailand helping thousands of people affected by the country’s worst flooding in decades.

Ross Tomlinson and Donal Reilly joined some of   the volunteers Caritas Thailand mobilized to work in 11 relief centers run by the Diocesan Social Action Centers, where short-term emergency shelter and food is being provided.

Tomlinson, a veteran of many emergency response efforts, commented on the spirit of cooperation evident at the scene.

Under the direction of Caritas Thailand, CRS, the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States, distributed rice, noodles, medicine. It aims to reach more than 60,000 people in need.

Monsoon has brought Thailand the worst flooding in at least half a century, which has affected two million people and left close to 400 dead, many by drowning and electrocution.

Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Oct. 30 said the situation was improving because the flood walls set up were mostly holding up and rainy weather and tides were passing.

More on this story in Catholic Relief Services Newswire and New York Times