Caritas helps India’s eastern states affected by storm

(April 20, 2010) Caritas is providing relief and rehabilitation to the people after last week’s tropical storm in India’s eastern states of Assam, Bihar and West Bengal, left 128 people dead and thousands homeless. We have sent teams to the affected dioceses to do the need assessment,” Nelson, who heads the partner support department of the Catholic organization for social development, told UCA News.
The storm struck late night of April 13, when people were asleep. Bihar suffered the maximum damage, where 82 people were killed. West Bengal reported 42 deaths and Assam four. The storm also destroyed crops and uprooted trees that blocked roads, impeding rescue operations. Telephone and power lines snapped, resulting in a blackout. Nelson said his organization will send help to the affected dioceses after getting the initial reports “Providing food and shelter to the storm-hit people will be our first priority,” he added. He also said the organization will keep a tab of what the government is doing for the needy, to avoid duplication of work.
The Bihar government has announced 150,000 rupees (US$3,372) compensation to relatives of each of the deceased. It has also rushed food and asbestos sheets for the building of temporary shelters.