Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Infrastructure after the flood


Damage to infrastructure is telling & widespread. These pictures are from our
February trip to Chatapur,Maheshkut,Baluaghat & beyond.

This is what a wayward body of water can do to masonry & RCC structures,what chances
of survival would a simple village dwelling have against this onslaught.

People related the thundering sounds they heard, and how everything shook violently
all evening and then the water came, it looked like simmering silvery sea of water,
and when it hit the villages, people dint know what to do.  It was terrifying and
disorienting..they dint know which direction to go. Everything was going wrong..
most of the villagers found safety atop few brick mortar houses with rcc roof.

In fact those few cement houses that almost all villages have was the Noah's Arc
that saved a lot of people, specially women and children.

They hung in there till relief boats came; SSB, ITBP,Navy...they braved immense
danger and rescued those who were stranded.

They are all brave hearts.. those who rescued them & those who were rescued.


www.biharfloodrelief.blogspot.com
© chandan  Koshi-4


www.biharfloodrelief.blogspot.comwww.biharfloodrelief.blogspot.com2
© chandan  Koshi-4

 
© chandan  Koshi-4
© chandan  Koshi-4
© chandan  Koshi-4

www.biharfloodrelief.blogspot.com
© chandan  Koshi-4

The base of this hand pump or "chapa-kal" is above 8 feet over the existing water
body. Before the floods ripped through this village, it would have been barely a
feet above the ground, and this was a field. Now, its a stagnant body of water.

Six months after the flood, Kosi is still haunting these areas. These people need
lot of help...and although the Bihar Government/NGO's are working hard to help &
restore normality out in this region, the spread and the intensity of destruction
is just overwhelming.


We are still hanging around, doing what we can,with what we have. We are also trying to work out how best we can help some children get sustained quality primary education.

~chandan
+919204757999

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