1998 CYCLONE OF KANDLA
Category |
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Cyclone. |
Account |
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On 9 June, a 200 km/h velocity cyclone
with 25 feet high tidal waves struck the coastal regions
of Gujarat. |
Area affected |
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2,400 villages in the districts of Jamnagar,
Porbandar, Rajkot and Kutch. The worst affected region
was the port town of Kandla. |
Casualties |
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1280 people died. |
Homeless |
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Hundreds and thousands of people were
left homeless especially saltpan workers. |
Damage |
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Property damage was reported to be worth
more than Rs.25 billion. |
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HELP BY BAPS ORGANISATION
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Centres
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BAPS centres in Gondal, Bhadra, Jamnagar, Junagadh,
Bhuj and Rajkot were involved with relief operations.
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Volunteers
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:
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370 BAPS volunteers with local help provided relief.
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Area helped
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BAPS provided relief in 18 villages: Anjar, Bharatnagar,
Cargo Zupadpatti, Gandhidham, Ganesh Nagar, Indira
Colony, Kandla Port, Kidana Sarva (Slums), Luni Jogantar,
Mandvi, Mudrabandar, Navlakhi, Railway Colony, Sarva,
Shekharvadi, Chinthi City, Trunabandar and Vandi.
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IMMEDIATE HELP
Within few hours
of the cyclone, BAPS relief operations were immediately
launched in the cyclone affected areas with 60 volunteers
reaching the port-town of Kandla with essential aid and
food for the victims.
Soon more BAPS volunteers
were sent with relief aid, expanding the relief operations
to other areas. A BAPS relief office and 2 large warehouses
were opened in Gandhidham to serve as a base from which
a long-term relief operation could be coordinated.
FOOD DISTRIBUTION
BAPS ensured that the homeless and needy had at least 10 days
of food stock. And so, a total of 51 tonnes of food was distributed
by BAPS.
20 tonnes of millet grains. |
10 tonnes of rice |
10 tonnes of flour |
10 tonnes of pulse |
1 ton of milk powder |
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HOUSEHOLD ITEMS DISTRIBUTED
• 20 trucks of tiles
and hay for repairing homes and roofs.
• 500 sets of primus
stoves.
• 600 sets of steel
utensils (dishes, bowls, glasses, 3 pans in each set).
• 2 trucks of clothes
and 200 cartons of specialised clothes and shoes.
• 1,000 packs of daily
needs (candles, matchboxes, blankets, etc.)
More than 5,000 families were provided with daily necessities
and 1,980 people were provided with materials and financial
support to repair or rebuild homes again in the aftermath of
the cyclone.
MEDICAL HELP
• BAPS doctors and
volunteers organised medical camps in the affected areas
to treat hundreds of people each day. 300 formulations of
medicines including paracetamol, tetracycline, chloroquin,
and many more were distributed free. Total cost of medicines
distributed was Rs.500,000/-.
• The doctors and medical staff of ‘Pramukh
Swami Hospital' in Bhuj also rendered yeoman service in the
aftermath of the cyclone.
EDUCATIONAL HELP
As a result of the devastating cyclone, schools and colleges
were damaged or destroyed in many towns and villages. Education
was hampered and to revive it quickly BAPS helped by rebuilding
and repairing 10 schools in the following areas:
Sidasra |
Bhopalka |
Khakharda |
Fagaas Vadi |
Nava Gadhada |
Juna Gadhada
(2 schools) |
Ladadharayani |
Gorana (2 schools) |
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