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Storm Pabuk kills 3, forces over 34,000 to evacuate in Thailand
Bangkok, Jan 5 (IANS) Tropical Storm Pabuk has killed three people and prompted an evacuation of more than 34,000 villagers in southern Thailand, a senior government official said on Saturday.
Director General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Chayaphol Thitisak said one fisherman was killed due to the tropical storm in the sea off Pattani province, while two elderly persons were reportedly killed in Nakhon Si Thammarat province on Friday.
Rescue services said that the fisherman’s body was recovered after his boat capsized, while out of six people on the boat, four others were saved and one was missing.
The storm led to the evacuation of more than 34,000 villagers in several districts of Nakhon Si Thammarat, the DDPM chief was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.
The storm, that made landfall in southern Thailand on Friday, lost its momentum on Saturday, allowing the resumption of ferry and air transport services. It has now weakened into a depression and moved from the Gulf of Thailand to the Andaman Sea.
Bangkok Airways resumed its services after having cancelled all its operations to Samui island airport since Friday. The airports in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani also resumed activity around midday.
Eight southern provinces of Thailand were affected by Pabuk, including Chumphorn, Songkhla, Phatthalung, Pattani, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Nakhon Si Thammarat city suffered significant damage as several districts were flooded and buildings were affected. Electrical poles were brought down by strong winds, affecting power supply.
Videos posted on social networks showed islands popular with tourists such as Koh Tao and Koh Samui affected by strong winds, heavy rain and high waves.
With a wind speed of 55 km per hour, Pabuk moved from the Gulf of Thailand to the Andaman Sea, raising strong winds, high tides, heavy rains and flash floods on Saturday, said a statement from the Meteorological Department.
It is feared to devastate Thailand’s famous tourist destinations on the shores of the Andaman Sea such as Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and Ranong provinces.
–IANS
soni/
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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.