Sunday, August 13, 2006
Floods
Surat, an Indian city famous for textile and diamond business was flooded On Tuesday the 8th August 2006. The authorities released some water from overflowing dam that was becoming dangerous after days of torrential rain. 80% of the city was submerged in water. No electricity, gas, communication or transport links were working.
A very few places were dry but still cut off as they couldn’t go anywhere. Most places were under water starting from few inches of water to several feet of water. It is amazing how people pull together in difficult times and help each other out. Lot of people from surrounding dry areas didn’t wait for the Government aids. They brought food, water and cloths for people as soon as they could walk in the street water.
After four odd days water is receding. This is the first hand story of someone who had 3’ water in the house.
The cleaning procedure is going on and everyone is really tired. All the furniture (being wooden) is damaged. All big kitchen appliances couldn't be moved are useless now. Door frames are splitting and coming away. Luckily they had three/four hours warning so they shifted cloths, bedding and food upstairs. This is the minimum damage. Others have it worse. Oh don't forget the vehicles- car and motorbikes are also useless. Luckily there was only one snake swimming in the house when clearing the water but there are lots of rats and snakes around.
In the worse hit areas there were bodies on the trees. There was a 4 story apartment block that just collapsed like a pack of cards. Hospitals, Banks, offices, factories, everything is closed and some are still under water. Outside in the streets there is knee deep mud and gunge.
The most difficult part is the shortage of water. The Government aid had started long ago but was concentrated in worse areas. Helicopters were dropping food and water packages.
Trains, electricity and telephones have been restored in the safer areas. Surat having a big textile and diamond industry attracted millions of workers from other states. They are all going back home so the trains are overflowing. It is a total chaos.
It will take a very very long time for Surat to recover this. For now it is ruined. In the 90s, floods not as bad as this, had cause the Plague! Let’s hope it won’t be repeated.
India tries to walk two steps forward and the nature pushes her back four steps!
A very few places were dry but still cut off as they couldn’t go anywhere. Most places were under water starting from few inches of water to several feet of water. It is amazing how people pull together in difficult times and help each other out. Lot of people from surrounding dry areas didn’t wait for the Government aids. They brought food, water and cloths for people as soon as they could walk in the street water.
After four odd days water is receding. This is the first hand story of someone who had 3’ water in the house.
The cleaning procedure is going on and everyone is really tired. All the furniture (being wooden) is damaged. All big kitchen appliances couldn't be moved are useless now. Door frames are splitting and coming away. Luckily they had three/four hours warning so they shifted cloths, bedding and food upstairs. This is the minimum damage. Others have it worse. Oh don't forget the vehicles- car and motorbikes are also useless. Luckily there was only one snake swimming in the house when clearing the water but there are lots of rats and snakes around.
In the worse hit areas there were bodies on the trees. There was a 4 story apartment block that just collapsed like a pack of cards. Hospitals, Banks, offices, factories, everything is closed and some are still under water. Outside in the streets there is knee deep mud and gunge.
The most difficult part is the shortage of water. The Government aid had started long ago but was concentrated in worse areas. Helicopters were dropping food and water packages.
Trains, electricity and telephones have been restored in the safer areas. Surat having a big textile and diamond industry attracted millions of workers from other states. They are all going back home so the trains are overflowing. It is a total chaos.
It will take a very very long time for Surat to recover this. For now it is ruined. In the 90s, floods not as bad as this, had cause the Plague! Let’s hope it won’t be repeated.
India tries to walk two steps forward and the nature pushes her back four steps!
# posted by butterflyuk : 8/13/2006 02:44:00 pm
