India & Pakistan Cyclone Biparjoy Response Fund

Status Update: June 19, 2023  

The severe cyclone over the North-East Arabian Sea “Biparjoy” made landfall on Thursday afternoon near Jakhau port, between Mandvi in Gujarat, India, and Keti Bandar in Sindh, Pakistan, with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting up to 150 kmph. With orange alert warnings issued, heavy rainfall is forecasted at isolated places in Kutch and Saurashtra, as well as in the areas of Porbandar, Rajkot, Morbi & Junagarh districts. As of June 16, 2023, the Cyclone has killed 2 people, injured 22, and more than 940 villages in Gujarat, India, have lost power due. Forecasters have warned that it could be the area’s worst storm in 25 years, threatening homes and crops.

As of June 19, 2023, over 100,000 people who sought shelter in relief camps in western India have started to return home after the weakening of the storm. In the coastal village of Jakhau, where the cyclone made landfall in Gujarat state, more than 130 individuals have moved back to their homes from a government-run shelter by midday Saturday. The cyclone has significantly weakened and is continuing to move towards the northern part of India.   

The cyclone has caused extensive destruction in the cities it passed through. Local news reports indicate that 33,000 hectares of farmland have been destroyed, with a total of 80,000 electricity poles knocked down, leaving hundreds of villages without power. Reports of significant damage to houses and properties in many villages are still being collected by the government and organizations. However, news channels have already reported major impacts in some villages in Jakhau, where all houses and most fishing boats have been damaged.  

IMMEDIATE NEEDS

Current needs identified by our local nonprofit partners include: 

• Ration kits for families consisting of rice, dal, oil, salt, soybeans, etc. 
• Clean drinking water 

• Tarpaulins/emergency shelters for displaced residents 
• Hygiene and sanitation kits 
• Medium and longer-term recovery work such as livelihood recovery, rehabilitation of damaged houses and public facilities, psychosocial support to flood-affected communities 
• Continuous disaster preparedness work 

PARTNERS RESPONSE 

SEEDS INDIA

SEEDS India, a nonprofit organization focused on disaster lifecycle management and a sustainable environment and Give2Asia’s DisasterLink Network member, has conducted risk assessments in the Mandvi area of Kutch. The organization aims to provide a swift humanitarian response, prioritizing marginalized communities, women, children, people with disabilities, single women-headed households, and people in remote areas. While time is an essential factor for minimum damage and quick recovery, this alert is to leverage an opportunity to provide an immediate response to the disproportionately affected. The plan is to support affected families with basic amenities until further aid arrives, thereby reducing vital time spent on damage and loss assessment.  

The immediate needs for the at-risk vulnerable populations would include:  

• Food and water provision for about 100,000 Individuals.  

• Medicines for the elderly and food supplements for babies and expectant mothers.  
• Repair supplies for expected severe damages to thatched roof houses and extensive damage to all type of Kucha houses.  
• Support for recovery to the expected widespread damage to standing crops, plantations, orchards, and other vegetation such as mango and coconut  
• Support for recovery of daily wagers and fishermen communities as it is expected that their economic activities will be disrupted.  

GOONJ

Goonj, founded in 1999 by Magsaysay award winner Mr. Anshu Gupta, focuses on poverty alleviation, rural development, and disaster relief & rehabilitation by utilizing discarded materials from cities as resources for extensive development work across villages in India. As a member of Give2Asia’s DisasterLink Network, the Goonj team is currently on the ground, conducting rapid assessments and collecting data on damages and immediate needs.

As the cyclone continues to pose a threat to Maharashtra and other affected areas, the Goonj teams in various states are assessing the extent of damage and immediate requirements. In response to the situation, Goonj is providing essential supplies to the affected population, including dry rations, ready-to-eat food packets, tarpaulins, utensils, toiletries, footwear, sanitary pads, torches, buckets, clothing (such as saris, nighties, new undergarments, and children’s clothing), candles, matchsticks, basic medicines, raincoats, chlorine tablets, and mosquito nets.

Centre for Environment Education (CEE)

CEE has been working in the area of disaster risk reduction education and has successfully implemented post-disaster response activities. CEE has been collaborating with Give2Asia for over seven years in this field and is also a member of Give2Asia’s DisasterLink Network. CEE is currently responding to the disaster caused by Cyclone Biparjoy and is conducting assessments to determine the needs and plan appropriate actions. Drawing on CEE’s previous experiences from different parts of the country, it is proposed to initiate community-based education and awareness programs with a focus on building climate resilience and disaster risk reduction.  

Bal Raksha Bharat (Save The Children – India) 

Bal Raksha Bharat, Save the Children, India is a leading independent child rights NGO and Give2Asia’s Friends Fund partner. It works in 16 Indian states and has changed the lives of more than 10.1 million Indian children since April 2008. The partner runs programs in the remotest corners of India and urban areas to provide quality education and healthcare, protection from harm and abuse, and life-saving aid during emergencies to children. Their areas of work are Child Protection, Education, Health & Nutrition, Gender Equality & Inclusion, Child Poverty, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Humanitarian Response. 

Bal Raksha has initiated three steps in response  respond to the cyclone Biparjoy impact, as follows: 

• Immediate Response: Setting up operations in areas affected in Gujrat and providing basic support such as food, shelter, and hygiene kits; construction of CFS (Child-Friendly Space); providing Psychosocial First Aid; and co-ordination with Govt and Local Civil Society network at all levels so that there is no duplication of intervention or wastage of resources as resources need to be utilized so that the deserving get maximum benefit
• Recovery: Ensure that all essential services get resumed immediately after the disaster, by providing School kits, and education kits and setting up ICDS (Integrated Child Development Space)
• Rehabilitation phase: Ensure Livelihood support, Child Protection Emergency, and Education Emergency – to provide quality learning opportunities to all children of all ages in situations of crisis, and to liaise with the government to ensure children’s participation and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

HOW TO GIVE  

All donations received by Give2Asia will help communities in India. Give2Asia will publish more details on the needs emerging in the coming days and weeks—and report on every dollar granted for relief and recovery.   

Click the “Donate” button above to make a credit card donation. For large gifts or corporate giving opportunities, please get in touch with our international giving team.