World
Early warning, evacuations saved lives during Cyclone Hudhud: UN
United Nations: A UN report says “timely and massive evacuation saved lives” during Cyclone Hudhud that slammed coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha last October, leaving only 41 dead in a disaster of that magnitude.
Overall, major disasters last year cost India 1,322 lives and $27 billion in damages, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific report released here Wednesday said.
It put the death toll from the September floods in Kashmir at 1,281 and the economic loses at $16 billion, and the material losses from the category 4 Cyclone Hudhud at $11 billion.
“One important lesson from 2014 is that end-to-end early warning systems save lives,” said Shamika Sirimanne, director of ESCAP’s Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division.
“The successful preparation for Cyclone Hudhud and Typhoon Hagupit (in the Philippines last December) lies not only in the ability to predict the movement and intensity of storms, but also the capacity to engage and mobilize vulnerable communities in disaster preparedness.”
Crowdsourcing using smart phones and Android apps helped assess the damage from the cyclone, the report said.
“With the increasing penetration of smartphone, crowdsourcing is emerging as an important tool to collect primary data for post-disaster damage assessment,” it said.
Overall last year, 119 natural disasters — over half of the world’s 226 — struck the Asia and Pacific region, which escaped a catastrophic earthquake or tsuanami.
The report reviewing last year’s natural disasters detailed the official efforts that helped reduce fatalities during Cuclone Hudhud.
“The National Disaster Response Force deployed 35 teams across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha,” the report said. “A day before the landfall district official were seen along the coast and seashore villages evacuating villagers to cyclone shelters. Reports have circulated regarding officials personally knocking on doors to notify residents of impending danger.”
As a result of these efforts, 500,000 people were moved to safety, while an airport, a naval base, industries and infrastructure were destroyed.
The reported noted that the destruction of casaurina plantations and mangrove along the coast and deforestation on the hills resulted in damage to Vishakapatnam city. It also recommended introducing and enforcing building codes so that structures can withstand high velocity winds.
The review said that floods were increasingly occurring across borders and international cooperation was required to deal with them. It cited the cooperation between India and Nepal during the landslide in August that blocked the Sun Koshi River creating an artificial lake. It threatened flash floods across the border in India. The two nations acted jointly to evacuate people at risk.
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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