Weathering the Storm Summary
The story is set in the cyclone-hit Orissa in 1999. Seven years after his mother's death, Nayak goes to visit his friend in the coastal town of Prashanth Irsama. That same evening, a terrible storm struck the city. Though Prashant's friend's house was swept away by the scorching air, it was filled with rain water and was also damaged by trees crashing on its roof and walls. The devastation continues for over 36 hours and Prashant and his friend's family have to take shelter on the roof to escape the rising floods.
The first glimpse of the Pacific out of the state of horror caused by the Super Cyclone: only a few broken cement houses are visible in a sheet of gray water; The bodies of animals and humans are floating everywhere. Fortunately, the trees that crashed at Prashant's friend's house were coconut trees. The tender coconut protects the family from starvation during the next few days. After being exposed to continuous rain, Prashant and his friend's family spend the next two days on the terrace. Prashant is worried about the safety of his own family. After two days, the rain finally stops and he is determined to go back home.
With only a long strong stick for support, Prashanth began his 18-kilometer-long journey on foot, leaving the flood-ridden roads. Waterlogging makes travel extremely difficult; At many points it is so deep that it has to swim to find the road. Fortunately, he joins two of his uncle's friends, who are returning to their village.
During their journey, Prashanth and his companions arrive at frightening and painful sites: they carry past floating carcasses of men, women, children and animals. These places fill Prashant with despair about the fate of her family.
Upon reaching his village, Kalikuda, Prashant sees that his house has been destroyed and pieces of his belongings are stuck in the branches of trees. Prashant goes to the Red Cross shelter in hopes of finding his family. Once, he finds his maternal grandfather who looks weak from starvation. He also meets his extended family, which includes his uncle, aunt, brother and sister. His family is very happy to see Prashant, as they had also feared his death.
The next morning, Prashant decides to take stock of the desperate situation. Four days after the storm, 2500 people live at the shelter site; A total of eighty-six people have died and the homes of all ninety people have been destroyed. The remaining stock of tender coconut is too low to sustain the number of survivors. Prashanth, who is only nineteen years old, plays the role of a leader. He organizes a group of youth and elders to secure rice from a businessman. It is suggested that such an attempt was made earlier but was unsuccessful. However, Prashant led the charge, this time returning to the shelter with food for everyone. He then decides to organize young volunteers to clean the shelter and move towards the wounds of the injured survivors.
On the fifth day, a military helicopter drops some food parcels. However, no help is being received after this. Young volunteers ask children to lay on the ground with empty pots on their stomachs. This visual message communicates their hunger to pass through helicopters, which then return regularly with parcels of food and basic necessities.
Prashant established shelters made of polyethylene sheets for orphans. The women take care of these children while the men secure food and supplies for the shelters. Soon, the grief the children and women are facing becomes apparent to Prashanth. He asked the women to participate in the program for food started by an NGO. For children, Prashant organizes sports competitions. The government plans to set up institutions for orphans and widows. But Prashant's group supports the move because they feel that the best rehabilitation of orphans and widows can take place within their community. They want to meet childless widows and orphans and establish foster families, where they can change their lives with love and care.
Six months after the devastating Super Cyclone, Prashanth endured his grief by helping the people of his community. For the widows and orphaned children of his village, he is a beacon of hope.
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