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We've asked Sherry to jot down some of her experiences as she travels throughout Southeast Asia helping animals that are in need because of massive natural disasters. Click here for a listing of all of her diaries.
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Messages From the Cyclone Hit Area
17 October 2005
Visakha, India
These are excerpts from emails from Pradeep Nath, founder and President of the Visakha SPCA. Visakha (or Visakhapatnam) is located on the eastern coast of India on the Sea of Bengal.
14 October
Dear Sherry,
The news is that the cyclones continue coming from South India. Since yesterday night we are having heavy continuous rains and our shelter is getting flooded again as the 420 foot boundary wall has opened up now. It is very tense with all these animals, and our animal birth control and the outreach programmes in the flood areas.
We will be grateful for your help and also we will campaign for the Kashmir animals most willingly.
Looking forward,
- Pradeep
15 October
Dear Sherry,
Last night, October 14th, I had a long chat with Rahul Sehgal about the state of the Indian region affected by the Kashmir earthquake. Indeed, it suffered nothing in comparison to Pakistan. Rahul’s father is a ranking officer in the Indian army and first hand reported to Rahul that the problem that was beginning to surface is the large number of animals that are being abandoned as people evacuate their villages in a mass exodus, abandoning their herding dogs, flocks of sheep and buffalo – leaving them without food or water. Their untenable fear is that God is punishing them and that it is safer to leave the region than suffer any further wrath of destruction.
- Pradeep
16 October
Dear Sherry,
The rains continue incessantly and very heavy for the past two days. Is almost pitch dark. All of the low lying areas in this city are flooded with in four feet of water. The navy is out with their boats. I cannot swim much but I am going ahead in these areas with two trucks. The stray animals are trying to take shelter on higher shops and pavements. I am trying to feed them but cannot bring them to our shelter because it is flooded. We are feeding dogs at every point now. I have pressed two mini trucks into service and am asking for another one. No workers have come so far out of the 40 strong people. Maybe they cannot reach us – so I will continue to send out our vehicles as best we can. Yes, we desperately need to have vets and paravets and volunteers ready for hard work.
The following is a brief but desperately needed list of stuff we need.
Emergency food/veterinary medicines and help as all was lost
Teams to go out to surrounding areas as the Visakha SPCA is the only animal welfare organization in the region and doesn't have enough people.
Infrastructure rebuilding as many key structures were lost.
All 700 animals were saved but they and staff are in danger of illness.
Visakha SPCA will come back better than before with your kind support.
In anticipation of your arrival,
- Pradeep
Click here for the VSPCA Website: www.VisakhaSPCA.org
Read about the Visakha SPCA's cyclone ordeal
