(Image source from: The Indian Express)

Indian-Americans Pool Resources To Help Hurricane Hit Irma Floridians:- The Indian-Americans living in Atlanta and Georgia pooled in their resources to help several million Floridians who were affected by hurricane Irma. The hurricane plummeted parts of the US coastal State with wind speed of more than 193 km per hours.

On Sunday, the Hurricane Irma made landfall on Florida’s southern islands claiming four lives as millions of people, including thousands of Indian-Americans, evacuated the state. According to the 2010 census, around 1,20,000 Indian-Americans live in Florida, while thousands of them live in the now-dangerous zones of Miami, Fort Laura deal and even Tampa.

(Image Source: Wall Street Journal)

While a large number of Indian-Americans stayed inside Florida and several thousands drove out of the state and reached out to their community members in nearby Atlanta.

Florida is a place with significant Indian-American population and a favorite destination of Indian tourists because of Disneyland. The Indian Ambassador to the US, Mr. Navtej Sarna, rushed his New York Consul General to Atlanta to oversee the relief operation and coordinate with the local community leaders.

Several evacuee shelters housing people mainly from Tampa, Florida were visited by New York Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty and Atlanta consulate officials to ascertain their welfare and well being. A pool of houses where evacuee can stay till the time of improvement in situation in Florida has been created by the Sewa International with the help of local residents. Accommodation and food arrangements for more than 600 people in the entire Metro Atlanta area have been made by the American Telugu Association in an aim to assist the people affected by hurricane Irma.

Moreover, boarding and lodging facilities for over 100 people have been provided by the Hindu Temple of Atlanta in association with other major Indian organizations, including Indian Friends of Atlanta (IFA) and Seva USA.

The officials, by late in the evening, said the situation is normal overall and to handle more evacuees, there is sufficient additional capacity, if the need arise. The Officials from the Indian Embassy in Washington and those from Consulate in Atlanta were also maintaining contact with Florida residents.

More than 400 homes in Orlando are ready to provide shelter to those evacuating. Sriram +1703-829-6064 can be contacted.

— India in Atlanta (@CGI_Atlanta) September 10, 2017

Several Indian families in Orlando, 241 km from Tampa, were also ready to receive evacuees. “More than 400 homes in Orlando are ready to provide shelter to those evacuating,” Indian Consulate in Atlanta said in a tweet.

The Indian-Americans in and around Atlanta opened up their homes for the Florida evacuees and prepared extra meals for them. Moreover, individuals, businesses and organizations were working round the clock to ensure that necessary help was provided to every Indian American in need in the wake of Irma. A State of emergency has been declared in Florida and curfews were imposed in several cities.

(Image Source: The Indian Express)

The US President Donald Trump held another review meeting with his Cabinet of the preparedness and relief operations at Camp David. “I hope there aren’t too many people in the path. You don’t want to be in that path. That’s a path you don’t want to be in. We tried to warn everybody. For the most part, they’ve left, but that’s a bad path to be in,” Trump told reporters on his return from Camp David. Trump said he will visit Florida soon.

“I think it’s been going really well. It’s a rough hurricane, as you better than anybody. The Coast Guard has been amazing already. You’ve been hearing what they’re doing right in the middle of the storm,” he said in response to a question.

Trump in his meeting with officials, stressed that his top priorities are life-saving and life-sustaining efforts in affected areas, the White House said. “He emphasized the need to remain steadfast in supporting the recovery efforts in Texas, Louisiana, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico while responding to those affected by Hurricane Irma on the United States mainland,” the White House said.

More than 9,900 Soldiers have been deployed by the US Army and US Army Corps of Engineers civilians in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the continental United States. The Army has six aircraft, almost 500 trucks, and more than 80 generators committed to relief efforts. They have more than 150 aircraft, almost 600 generators, 150 boats, and nearly 3,000 trucks on standby to support response efforts if called upon.

SUPRAJA