India assesses damage from last week’s cyclone

AlertNet reports that Cyclone Thane, which struck Tamil Nadu state on Friday, may have done worse damage to infrastructure than the Indian Ocean tsunami a few years ago. Aid agencies are still trying to access some areas so they can assess the situation.

The cyclone killed at least 47 people, and many communities in the area are sheltering in schools. While aid groups are supplying basic relief like dry food, clean water and clothing, they also emphasize the upcoming need to rebuild the homes the cyclone destroyed. Tamil Nadu, on the southeast coast of India, is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters like cyclones.
 
For more information about the situation, see the full article on AlertNet
Map of India, with Tamil Nadu in red. Photo: Ganeshk, courtesy Wikimedia Commons