January 2 2012
Indian cyclone damages SOS Children's Village
02/01/2012 - All the children, SOS mothers and co-workers of the SOS Children's Village in Puducherry are safe after it was hit by cyclone 'Thane' on New Year eve. Due to the high-velocity winds, some family houses have been heavily damaged.
Electricity and water supply have been cut off and access by road is also restricted. The director and some co-workers of SOS Children's Village Nagapattinam have already arrived at Puducherry to help the local team. Alternate arrangements for electricity (hired generators) and water have been made as supplies are hit badly. The construction team is visiting SOS Children's Village Puducherry to work out the repair plan. The national director of SOS Children's Villages India is visiting Puducherry today to assess the situation.
Relief operations are under way in south India after Cyclone Thane, with winds of up to 140 kilometres (85 miles) an hour, struck the east coast between Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu and the territory of Puducherry. It is thought 47 people have died so far. Most of the deaths occurred due to electrocution and walls collapsing. Roads blocked by falling trees were reopened on Sunday, while engineers were trying to restore power in the worst-hit district of Cuddalore. Some 7,000 people are staying in emergency shelters set up in school buildings, community halls and 20 cyclone centres in the Cuddalore area.