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Storm Harvey makes landfall in Louisiana; Houston reels (Lead)
Washington, Aug 30 (IANS) A devastating storm that swept through the US state of Texas made a second landfall in Louisiana state on Wednesday, dousing the region with heavy rains that officials warned could lead to catastrophic and life-threatening flooding.
Five days after roaring onto the Texas coast, leaving behind disastrous flooding and reportedly claiming 30 lives, Harvey, now a tropical storm, made landfall early in the morning near tiny Cameron in Louisiana.
Forecasters said another five to 10 inches of rain could fall in western Louisiana, where rivers and bayous were already swollen with near-record downpours, the Washington Post reported.
The storm is expected to bring winds of 30-40 mph and a 2-4 foot storm surge along the Louisiana-Texas border, the report said.
Harvey’s immediate effects were not expected as devastating as a Category 4 hurricane that first blasted Houston and other parts of Texas beginning on Friday. But the National Weather Service (NWS) said that “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding will continue in and around Houston eastward into southwest Louisiana for the rest of the week”.
As Harvey approached, storm-battered Louisiana — where memories of Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in the state 12 years ago, are still fresh — hunkered down, evacuating hundreds of people and deploying the Louisiana National Guard.
Louisiana beefed up emergency resources, doubling up on high water vehicles, boats and helicopters on duty.
Governor John Bel Edwards urged people to “prepare and pray”. Flash flood warnings were issued across eastern Texas and western Louisiana.
The rainfall in Texas set a new record for the continental US, the NWS said on Tuesday. A rain gauge in Cedar Bayou recorded nearly 52 inches of rain since Friday.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner imposed a curfew in the city starting Tuesday from midnight to 5 a.m. to deter looting of abandoned homes.
President Donald Trump visited Texas on Tuesday to survey the damage brought by Harvey. He arrived in Corpus Christi, where Hurricane Harvey first made landfall on Friday, with First Lady Melania Trump.
Trump said he wanted the relief effort to stand as an example of how to respond to a storm. “We want to do it better than ever before. This storm, it’s epic what happened. But you know what, it happened in Texas and Texas can handle anything.”
The President will not be visiting Houston, said the White House as he did not want his visit to disrupt the emergency response.
Trump has declared a federal state of emergency in both Texas and Louisiana. The move releases emergency government funding and other assistance.
–IANS
soni/mr
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.