Emergency Aid Begins in India in Response to Cyclone Phailin
14 October 2013 -
Update: 14 lives lost, 9 million affected, 500,000 hectares of crops destroyed.
From initial reports, the loss to houses and buildings is quite extensive. Around 200,000 houses are damaged in the Ganjam district of Orrisa alone. According to the India Army, 14,515 villages in 12 districts are flooded. The government in coordination with the National Disaster Relief Force are clearing the highways and roads into villages of uprooted trees and electricity poles. The death toll was minimal due to the well coordinated evacuation of more than 873,000 people in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh to safer shelters.
World Vision Response
Due to damaged communications lines, information from some of the World Vision India Area Development Programs (ADPs) has been minimal. However, there have been no reports of deaths in the target communities. All staff and communities are safe.
In Bhubaneswar community before the cyclone hit, thousands of people were evacuated into safer shelters. “From our initial assessment, 246 houses have been damaged in the urban areas that we work in,” said Golden Naik, Manager – Bhubaneswar Urban ADP.
“The government has plans for rehabilitation. It is now time for the civil society and organisations like World Vision to support the government in this. We will try to focus on livelihood and ensuring that children can go to school,” said Dr. Jayakumar Christian, CEO & National Director – World Vision India.
A rapid assessment team has reached Brahmapur, in the Ganjam district of Odisha, to assess needs and start the immediate response. Ganjam district is one of the worst affected by the storm. “Everywhere it is flooded. Uprooted trees, electric wire poles and towers blocked road access on the national highway,” said Pragnan, part of the assessment team.
“Today, as an immediate response, we distributed biscuit packets and made arrangements for drinking water at the shelter,” said Golden Naik.
World Vision India does not have any ADPs or projects in the Ganjam district but will be responding immediately by distributing food items, including rice, biscuits and drinking water to 500 families in several relief camps.
“World Vision has had the privilege of networking with the local government in evacuating people in our ADP areas. The preparation by World Vision India’s National Rapid Response Team has been very good,” Dr. Jayakumar added.