Water purification kits are a lifeline for flood victims

DERBYSHIRE charity workers have shipped 180 life-saving water purification kits to Albania after the country suffered its worst flooding in half-a-century.
Thousands of people living in the north of the country have been evacuated as a result of the floods, caused by heavy rain and melting snow.

Water supplies have been disrupted and the public water system has been contaminated by sewage, meaning that many people do not have access to safe drinking water.

But now, thanks to a Derbyshire charity, water purification kits capable of removing deadly waterborne diseases, including typhoid, dysentery and cholera, are on their way.

The Aquaboxes also contain essential welfare items, including tools and cooking pots.


The charity, a project of Rotary International, is currently being supported by the Derby Telegraph's Give Water, Give Life campaign and was asked to supply the boxes to Albania by Christian charity Blythswood Care.

The batch of Aquaboxes was picked up by DHL on Tuesday from the charity's depot, ready to be shipped to Albania, just days before the organisation sent out another 200 to earthquake-hit Haiti.

Phil Shorthouse, from Blythswood Care, which will distribute the boxes on behalf of Aquabox, said: "According to the national emergency task force set up to deal with the situation [in Albania], over 4,000 people have so far been evacuated from their homes and 2,200 homes have been flooded by rising water in the Shkodra district, north of the capital Tirana and close to the border with Montenegro. A total of 10,270 hectares of farmland is flooded and 9,830 livestock are at risk.

"Because of serious damage to the water supply system, many in the flooded communities don't have access to drinking water.

"There are damages to agriculture and transport infrastructure, making the area around Shkodra only accessible by small boats."

The severe floods were the result of recent bad weather. Heavy snow fell on the Albanian mountains in December and this month.

This was followed by a sudden shift of the winds to the south, bringing a sudden thaw, combined with heavy rain.

In addition, the strong winds caused unusually high tides, restricting the outflow of water from the Buna River.

Aquabox trustee David Haspel said: "We are pleased to be able to support the people of Haiti.

"The Aquaboxes can make a big difference in preventing the spread of diseases

Source:thisisderbyshire.co.uk/