A rapid assessment of mosquito breeding, vector control measures and treatment seeking behaviour in selected slums of Surat, Gujarat, India, during post-flood period.

Surat faced the most devastating flood on 7 August 2006. This flood preceded by heavy rains in the catchment areas of Ukai Dam, and consequent massive releases of water from the dam from 6 August through 11 August 2006, inundated the city, and slums were the worst hit. Studies have reported increased mosquito breeding and epidemics of malaria as an aftermath of floods in Mandla1, subsequent to heavy downpours and floods. Over half of Cotonou (Benin) suffers every year from several months of flooding, allowing mosquito larvae breeding and leading to an increase in malaria transmission2. Malaria is historically associated with reduced flooding and embankment construction in the flood plains of Bengal. The west and south land of the Jamuna River was highly malarious in 1916 but is not so today3. There is substantial evidence of reporting of increased malaria transmission in urban areas of Asia subsequent to clogging of storm water drainages4,5. On the contrary, no malaria outbreak was reported, two years later, in Tsunami hit areas of Asia6.