Sewa International Helps Cyclone Victims
HOUSTON: A severe hurricane the size of Katrina, called Cyclone Phailin, hit the eastern coastal state of Odisha, India, with winds over 125 mph on the night of Oct. 12.
The State government had evacuated over 800,000 people along coastal Odisha to safer zones before Phailin struck, minimizing human casualties.
The hurricane, however, caused severe damage to four districts – Ganjam, Khurdha, Puri and Jagatshingpur.
In Ganjam, the worst affected district, 30 villages are submerged under water and 12 casualties were reported by 5 p.m. India time on Oct 13.
Sewa International is working with partner NGO Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti (UBSS) and has set up eight relief centers at Berhampur, Gopalpur and Chatrapur providing shelter to over 2,000 cyclone victims.
The post cyclone flood situation is grave in four more districts – Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur of North Odisha.
Mayurbhanj is experiencing this kind of flood after 1973. At least 35 people have died here. People have lost much property as they couldn’t take away their clothes and valuables due to the unexpected situation.
Volunteers from Sewa International and its partner organization UBSS are already on high alert and are reaching out to trapped people with dry foods.
UBSS is providing all possible support to the affected areas. Health services teams are being formed to visit different places. Emergency relief medical teams will visit the sites as required.
A senior member of the Sewa team has reached Ganjam to guide the local Sewa volunteers and speed up the relief operation.
Sewa team will visit other affected districts in the next couple of days to assess the damage and plan for relief operation. Based on the survey reports, Sewa plans to adopt some villages for rehabilitation.
Over the next few days, the relief centers will focus to supply: safe drinking water, emergency medical supplies, cooked and dry food, and, fodder and temporary shelters for cattle.
In this hour of need, Sewa International appeals to all to come forward and donate for the relief operations. Your donations will provide immediate help to victims and help reduce their sufferings.
Send your generous donations by donating online at www.sewausa.org or via check to Sewa International, P.O. BOX 820867, Houston, TX 77282-0867.
For further information, call Swadesh Katoch on (404) 935 – 8893
About Sewa International USA
Sewa International USA is a Hindu faith based nonprofit charity registered under the Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3). Mission of Sewa is to serve humanity in distress, aid local communities, and promote volunteerism. Sewa volunteers across 38 chapters in 22 states performed more than 100,000 hours of community work in 2012.
Sewa runs disaster relief/rehabilitation projects (Hurricane Katrina (2005), Super Storm Sandy (2012), Maharashtra Drought (2013)), development projects in India, Sri Lanka, Peru, Guyana, and Kenya. In the US, community service projects include Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment, Family Services, Adopt-a-highway, Habitat for Humanity, and Diwali Food Drive among others. Yuwa for Sewa summer internships for youth, and, Get Inspired summer internships for high school and college students promote volunteerism among youth.