Cyclone Tauktae, sea rescue for drifting barges
Dozens of people lost in the storm that crossed the Arabian Sea. On the west coast 24 deaths and serious damage. Mgr. Alwyn Barreto, bishop of Sindhudurg: "We are mobilizing to stay close to the affected families".
Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Cyclone Tauktae, which hit the west coast of the country hard, has worsened the situation for states already struggling with the coronavirus emergency.
Just this morning the India Meteorological Department downgraded the alert level for intense rains and wind that have raged over a large region of the country since May 15.
In Mumbai, the wind reached 114 kilometres per hour, with the rainfall registered record highs since records began. The official death toll is 24: 12 in Mahartashtra, 8 in Karnataka and 4 in Gujarat.
The worst situation right now is in the Arabian Sea where some barges are still adrift. There is concern, in particular, off the Mumbai High Field, an oil extraction platform located 170 kilometres offshore from Mumbai's coast. Out of the 273 people on the rig, the Navy's rescue vehicles have so far brought 177 to safety; the fate of the other 96 is unclear.
In the meantime, on the coast, the damage is being counted. Mgr. Alwyn Barreto, the bishop of Sindhudurg, one of the most affected districts in the state of Maharashtra, tells AsiaNews: “The cyclone has devastated many areas of our diocese, especially in Malyan. Uprooted trees have damaged homes, destroyed property and cut roads. There have been outages in the power lines. The same gusts of wind and intense rains have caused collapses in the houses”.
“Our diocese - continues Msgr. Barreto - has always been at the forefront of helping the poor, especially in natural disasters. Already in 2019, thanks to the help of generous benefactors, we supported people affected by a flood in the districts of Kolhapur and Sindhudurg. And in the Coronavirus emergency that has continued since last year, we have helped millions of people with medicines, provisions, food supplies and other aid. Even in this new situation we want to help the poor in every possible way. We have not yet received a clear estimate of the damage, but we are mobilizing to stay close to the affected families, counting on the generosity of many. We pray and hope that God in his goodness will help us in this worthy cause, as in the past”.
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20/07/2018 09:29
