Category: Disaster Relief
disaster relief efforts of MAM
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Triyuginarayan
Utttarakhand Flood relief The road to Gaurikund was completely gone for many kilometers – and since the medical team from the Army had already reached there somehow, we moved towards Triyuginarayan. Triyuginarayan is home to a beautiful ancient temple (built in the Treta Yuga) where, according to the Puranas, Lord Shiva and Parvati Devi’s marriage took place. The fire from that time has been kept continuously lit by the local priests here. Having very close connection with the Kedarnath temple – the families depended on the Char dham yatra for sustenance – so most of them were in Kedarnath on…
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Sonprayag – the ghost town
Uttarakhand Flood Relief After waiting for the roads to open to Sonprayag for one day, it was decided that we would just try to move ahead somehow, inspite of the inclement weather and inaccessibility. When we made known our plans, almost everyone around recommended against it. We prayed to Amma and decided to at least try our best to move ahead. And as always, Amma’s Grace flowed – as soon as we were ready, the skies opened up magically! The sun started shining brightly – and the locals could not believe it. We set out from Guptakashi to reach as…
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Medical Camp at Lombgaon and Tvara
Medical Camp at Lombgaon and Tvara – 11th July, 2013 As soon as we heard that the people of Twara are falling prey to dysentery in the village of Twara – we rushed over immediately – as this trend usually indicates an impending epidemic. 300 patients were treated at two medical camps on the 11th of July – by the team of two doctors – Dr Gopi and Dr Anuj Rana. The team has been requested to try and move towards Ukhimath area – where medical aid has not reached till today. – Mukesh
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Survey of nearby villages
Uttarakhand Flood Relief 10th July, 2013 Kalimath is the most heavily affected area around. Even today, one house slided down into the river across us before our eyes. We are going into the villages soon. A village Devli – comprising of 57 families – out of which 54 lost at least one member – invariably the bread earning young member – during the floods. There is no male survivor in the age group of 15 to 30 in this village One of the persons described how he stood on the Nandis statue at Kedarnath the entire night, with water reaching…
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Camp at SiddhaSaur
Uttarakhand Flood Relief 9th July, 2013 It was raining heavily on the night of the 7th of July – the water level of the Mandakin river was rising alarmingly. We were stationed just a few feet from the raging river – even though a flood and cloud burst alert had been sounded. We tried to move towards Guptakashi but due to heavy rain the road had been washed out for a couple of hundred metres , and there was no way our Ambulance and telemedicine unit could cross that stretch. We carried all the medicine boxes on foot to the…
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Moving on to Guptakashi
Uttarakhand Flood Relief 9th July, 2013 The road to Guptakashi was in complete disarray after the rains. The main highway along the Mandakini river has been washed away, and vehicles have to take this only available alternatine route – the rains left the road full of slush – the vehicle was literally swimming in the slush all the way to Guptkashi. Truly a time to chant our mantras. At one place the mountains side broke off and huge boulders came crashing on to the road just as we were approaching it. We decided to try and move the rocks so…
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Camp at Rudraprayag
Uttarakhand Relief Work Camp at Rudraprayag – 6th and 7th July, 2013 The telemedicine unit finally arrived at Rudraprayag – overcoming extremely challenging obstacles all along the way. It was stationed at the Rudraprayag bus stand – and people came from all the neighbouring villages to avail of its facilities. The response was so overwhelming on the first day that we had to extend the camp for another day so that all the patients could be catered to. Around 800 patients were examined, given medicines, and given expert opinions from senior doctors at Amrita Institute of Medica, Sciences through the…
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Base camp at Agastya Muni
Uttarakhand Relief: The Mobile ICU, along with a team of doctors from the Amrita Institute of the Medical Sciences (AIMS), Kochi arrived at our base camp at Agastya Muni. Kedarnath MLA – Mrs Shaila Rani Rawat visited the facilities that we have been providing and was appreciative of the efforts of MAM. Fourteen hundred patients have been given free medicines and consultation in the four days that we have been here. Patients are coming from all the surrounding villages – sometimes walking up to 20 kms to reach here. The mobile telemedicine unit is on the way and is expected…
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The rains are coming
Uttarakhand Relief We finally reached Gupt Kashi, another affected zone, after sliding down mountain screes and clambering up steep mountain paths on all fours, which were made all the more slippery due to yesterday’s rains. Here the problem was more of getting cut off from the rest of the world. Roads had been swallowed up, electric cables downed… but the resilient hill people still carry on. Our medical team is doing wonderful service and the administration is very appreciative of our efforts. People are coming from far off villages to get medical aid. There is forecast of heavy rains…