Disaster Dispatch
Early findings of DMI situation assessment of May 1999 cyclone in Gujarat
In the context of recent cyclone in coastal areas of  Saurastra and Kutch, Gujarat, India, DMI team rushed to the affected villages of Kutch on May 20, 1999. In addition to provide immediate relief of  plastic sheets for shelter and food to the affected villages of Lakhpat and Naliya talukas of Kutch, DMI team surveyed ten most affected villages  of Naliya taluka in Kutch. The Kutch Craft Association was the local women’s agency operational in the area. 

Early Findings of the Assessment :

Type of  Loss
 
Sr. No. Type of Loss 
No.
Percent
1 One wall fallen 
2 
10.0
2 Hut fully damaged
10
 50.0
3 Unemployed 
14
 70.0
4 Cattle loss
6
 30.0
5 Cattle missing
1
 5.0
6 Income generating assets destroyed
1
 5.0
( Percentage are taken from the  twenty  victims)

Present Requirements of Victims :
 
Sr. No. Present Requirements
 No.
   Percent
1 Repairing of Wall
3 
15.0
2 Food 
 
60.0
3 House Repairing
11
55.0
4 Employment Assets 
4
20.0
( Percentage are taken from the  twenty  victims)

Village wise  Damage Due to Cyclone :
 
Sr.No.  Name of Village
House
 Cows 
Sheep/Goats
1 Saraguara
5
200
 600
2 Kankavati
15
300
250
3 Pethapar 
5
10
15
4 Gayad
4
6
5 Gurved
3
6 Aarikhana
70
7 Sujapar 
25
20
 60
8 Relariya Manjal
150
9 Pithoranagar
40
100
100
10 Tera 
10
10
Total
93
644
61

My Shelter has Gone!

My name is Ranuba Jamaji Sodha. I am sixty years old and living in Kankavati village of Abdasa taluka of Kutch. I am alone. I don’t have any source of income. Looking me you realise that I am  not able to do anything myself and dependent on my nephew for even food. 

It was a continuous rain lasted for  forty eight  hours and high speed wind. The water was reached up to my waist. I stood alone by holding the pillar of my Bhunga - the local hut for two days. I was feared whether the wall will fall from the side where I was standing. And it was happened. Though I was survived luckily or unluckily. After two days I  was relieved from that situation as the water was receded but it has damaged whatever I had. My utensils, food, cloths, and what not ! 

I was not aware of cyclone and no body came to rescue us either government or other agencies. For me already life was dependent on my nephew and this cyclone has even looted the place of staying in.  From where I will bring Five thousand of rupee to rebuilt it ?

An Online Bimonthly on South Asian Disasters  (June- July 1999) 
South Asia Media Group on Disaster Mitigation 
Collaboration: Duryog Nivaran, Sri Lanka & Journalists Resource Centre  Pakistan

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