November 28 2008
SOS Children's Villages suffer only little damage in Indian rain and floods
28/11/2008 - The children's villages in Chennai, Pondicherry and Nagapattinnam, the latter two of which had been constructed in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, suffered only material damage.
All the mothers, children and co-workers are safe in SOS Children's Villages Chennai, Pondicherry and Nagapattinnam in South India, where thousands were left homeless in persistent rain and many precious lives were lost as cyclone Nisha left behind a trail of destruction.
SOS Children's Village Pondicherry and Nagapattinnam experienced a two-day blackout but electricity was restored today. Water flooded into the SOS Children's Villages, so children and mothers had to be moved to the SOS Social Centre building inside the grounds at Nagapattinnam.
Water is being pumped out with the assistance of diesel motors; a drain that got blocked is also being repaired. In some areas, roof tiles were destroyed and builders were called in to take care of the problem.
City roads were flooded and water also flowed into many houses in low-lying areas near Chennai. People gave a sigh of relief as the rain stopped today.
The SOS Children's Villages in Pondicherry and Nagapattinnam were established in the aftermath of the tsunami in 2005.