Worst Storm Of The Century Brings Out The Best In The Gujarati Community
Black out, power cuts, 3 to 4 feet of water entering homes, people taking shelter at community temples, hotels and halls – Gujaratis in the US are facing the worst super storm Sandy and the only heartening fact is they are united to face this natural calamity.
President of Asian American Hotel Owners Association Alkesh Patel says, “We are still assessing the total business loss to many Gujarati restaurant owners in affected areas that include Connecticut, Delaware, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. “We have united for the calamity and have asked the members to provide shelter to maximum number of people who have had to leave their homes due to official warning or due to heavy storm water logging in their areas.”
With hotels, community temples have also come forward to help the affected lot. Bobby Patel, activist of Shakti Mandir, Ambaji, said, “Due to harsh winds and heavy rains, water has entered houses and many people are forced to leaves. We have given shelter to more than 200 people at a South Indian temple in Atlantis city.” Western New Jersey-based Divyesh Mehta, a Gujarati businessman, had to evacuate his home on River Road after it was filled with water up to 5 feet.
Associations are mulling to assess the total damage jointly. Vice-president, Gujarati Cultural Association, San Francisco, Mahesh Patel, says, “As maximum number of Gujaratis have their homes and businesses in these affected states including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, they will have to bear the devastating impact of this calamity. To assess the total damage, we are keeping eye on storm updates. All Gujarati associations in the US are to meet soon to assess the damage of this natural calamity. And we plan to help the affected in various ways.”
Ronak Mehta of Bhartiya Temple, Philadelphia, says, “We are getting ready to brace the storm as it is expected to reach here. We have stocked food items and water for next few days. The hard winds have started blowing. And we are prepared to offer shelter to people in community temple, if needed.”
Sandy takes the centrestage on social networking sites
“WE ARE SAFE”
Status updates on social networking sites served as a link between the storm-hit and their families in India
All safe and well. We now even have power. No damage. : Kanan Vyas and Tobias Prase | NEW YORK
Out of power, another Halloween ruined : Aditi Patel | NEW YORK
Trees still standing! Lots of mess outside but we were lucky : Bhavin Parikh | PHILADELPHIA
NRI Parents’ Association tries to bridge divide
With social networks like Twitter and Facebook, NRI Parents Association back home also has been trying to get constant updates on the storm situations in the US as it has majorly affected New Jersey and New York, which have highest population of Gujaratis. As storm situation aggravated further and entered Pennsylvania, the panic was seen rising back home especially in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and pockets of villages near Anand. Many Gujarati families are struck in difficult situation and have lost contact with their relatives back home due to power cuts and evacuations.
President of NRI Parents Association Hemant Shah says, “We are constantly in touch with many parents who have heard from their children staying in the affected areas. We inform other parents who are looking for information and are not able to establish link with their families there. We are working as a link between families here and abroad to ease the tension.”
