ASIA/INDIA - Salesians: compassion towards the flood victims in Chennai

Chennai (Agenzia Fides) - The Salesians of Tamil Nadu are actively engaged in helping the flood victims that hit the city of Chennai, former Madras. This is what Don Raphael Jayapalan, SDB Provincial of the Salesians in Chennai says to Agenzia Fides, describing the activities of the "Don Bosco Flood Relief" (DBFR) team, the Salesian rescue team established specifically to assist the population affected by the floods.
"Schools are flooded, many homes are still underwater, thousands are homeless, many offices and public institutions, businesses are closed. There is no electricity, telephone, mobile and Internet are out of order", says the Provincial. "We started rescue operations on December 3, as soon as we realized how serious the situation was.
All the centers for Pastoral Youth have become centers of aid and almost all the Salesian centers have been turned into shelters for flood victims. Other institutions and Salesian organizations are dealing with preparing food kits and providing materials for other basic necessities". Don Raphael reports that about 140 young people of the Salesian Youth Movement, led by Fr. Mani Lazar, SDB, and numerous sisters work tirelessly at the Salesian provincial Center or in other medical devices. The DBFR is bringing aid to the most affected by the floods, with special attention to those who do not have a network of help from family or friends, as the poor in the slums of Chennai or villages around the metropolis.
In a few days about 124,000 first-aid kits were distributed, while the DBFR doctors are working to prevent the outbreak of epidemics, providing medical assistance in 11 camps.
The Salesians have also launched an appeal on social media like Twitter, with the hashtag #donboscofloodrelief, asking the cooperation of other institutions and volunteers. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 19/12/2015)

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