A Warning
Even with prior caution of heavy rainfall by National Emergency Operation Center, there was an immense damage to the coastal lines due to extreme sea levels. A total of 65 persons died and 259 persons were injured. Almost 5.6 lakh persons were directly affected, losing their livelihoods, clothes and utensils. A large number of houses were damaged, nearly 2.2 lakhs and more than 1.8 lakh huts in regions of Thanjavur, Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur. The gusting winds uprooted trees, snapped electric cables and blew off roofing sheets. 70,000 farmers in seven coastal districts bore the brunt, losing their crops. There was crop loss in Agricultural area of 1,22,063 hectares and loss of 50 lakh coconut trees. Fishing harbors and fisheries experienced catastrophic loss. Power sectors suffered severe financial implications. Gaja cyclone made many families homeless leaving a deep scar in their lives. The storm surge made the groundwater and soil saline. The Gaja was an unexpectedly severe cyclone, and the aftermath was much more than the comprehension.
Our Action
We Came Forward To Give Our Maximum Support And bring back faith in the lives of the villagers. Three members of our team Arunagiri, Baskar and Sethupathy visited all the places affected by this cyclone for three days from 28th – 30th November to seek the areas that needed support. As many regions were getting help, some regions were not touched. With the help of VAO (Village Administration Officer), we identified affected areas yearning for support. The places are Pattukottai (75000 population), Peravuvani (25000 population), Nagapapatinam – Vedaranyam (40000 poplulation), Thiruvanur – Tiruthevai Poondi (30000 population) and Pudukottai Alangudi (15000 population). Those areas were struggling like the rest of them but were unattended. We adopted few villages to give them a ray of hope in their difficult time. Essential things such as food, bedspreads, pillows, blankets, and soaps were supplied by us to the villagers. We tried our best to help as many people as we could.
