Though human loss has been less, infrastructure has suffered colossal loss and outbreak of diseases are feared. Rebuilding of livelihoods will be the challenge.
Reuters
New Delhi: Millions of people in eastern India need relief and rehabilitation after the most powerful storm to hit the country's coast in 14 years destroyed their homes and livelihoods, aid agencies said on Monday.
Cyclone Phailin made landfall from the Bay of Bengal on Saturday night, bringing winds of more than 200 km per hour, 3 metre-high tidal waves and thrashing rains to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh states. At least 15 people have died. While India has successfully minimised the death toll through mass evacuations ahead of the storm, authorities now face the challenge of ensuring survivors get adequate support in the aftermath, say aid workers.
"While reports of casualties are low, we shouldn't underestimate the scale of this disaster. There are millions of people who will need support to rebuild their homes and livelihoods," said John Shumlansky, India country representative for Catholic Relief Services.
Before the storm struck, Indian officials had estimated up to 12 million people living in the Phailin's path would be affected. There has been no official figure since.
Close to one million people were moved to cyclone shelters as the storm hurtled towards the coast, with some forecasters comparing it to the super cyclone that struck Odisha in 1999, killing 10,000 people.
The human loss was much lower this time, but the storm appears to have left a similar trail of destruction.
Gale-force winds ripped apart hundreds of thousands of mud-and-thatch houses, and storm surges and heavy rains submerged large swathes of farmland. Power lines and telecommunications towers have been damaged, and thousands of trees have been uprooted.
No comments:
Post a Comment