Floods in Chennai: Amma sends 500 volunteers and donates $749,000 US

December 2015, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

In the wake of the colossal loss and damage caused by the rains and flooding in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu, hundreds of thousands of people have been affected. Amma has been quick to respond sending volunteers to serve food and provide clothing and medical supplies. In another move to aid these disaster survivors, we have donated Rs. 5 Crores ($749,000 US) to the government for relief efforts. The funds were presented by Amma’s senior representative, Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri, to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Since the last week of November, our volunteers have been providing relief and rehabilitation services. Currently, more than 500 volunteers - including students and faculty of our own Amrita University - have been aiding the affected. Some volunteers have courageously risked their own lives to rescue people who had been trapped by the rising floodwaters, using ropes to safeguard themselves from being carried away by powerful currents. Packaged drinking water and food are available to those who prefer to stay in their homes. Even now, after the water has receded, our volunteers are continuing to provide meals for thousands of affected people each day and hundreds of thousands of sets of clothing were also distributed.

Important medicine services are on the scene: including a 25 member team of doctors and paramedics from Amrita University equipped with two fully stocked ambulances that contain cardiac, emergency and radiography supplies, as well as facilities for operation. We are also equipped to detect epidemic diseases in two minutes, which can then allow doctors to handle any potential outbreak. In addition to the on-going services, we are preparing to send long-term provisions for the survivors of the floods. Many people have been left homeless without resources, and to aid in their rehabilitation, we are sending supplies including cooking stoves, utensils, clothing, blankets, and toiletries.