Cyclone HudHud India 2014

On October 12, 2014, cyclone HudHud hit the city of Visakhapatnam with unbridled destructive force. Meter-high waves and a storm with wind speeds of up to 200 kmh destroyed everything in its path. The animal shelters of our partner VSPCA, with whom we are closely associated and on whose Advisory Board our President Esther Geisser sits together with Philip Wollen and other animal welfare activists, were badly affected. The quarantine and shelter for the disabled were destroyed, as were the kennels for the neutering program and the large bird aviary. All the trees were uprooted and the roof of the cowshed was swept away. The infant farm also suffered extensive damage.

Great destruction by HudHud

Visakhapatnam lay in ruins. The emergency call centers of the administration were out of order, there was no way to contact any authority. The roads were impassable for days, people could not even get to the surrounding hospitals on foot. Trees, electricity pylons and telephone lines were criss-crossed everywhere. The hospitals were overcrowded with people looking for help, shelter, water and food or just a bit of electricity to charge their phones. Everywhere there were long lines of people outside every grocery store or gas station. Prices went through the roof as those who could, tried to make a business out of the misery. Many of the shelter workers also became homeless because HudHud destroyed their homes.

It took months before the damage could be repaired to some extent. NetAP first financed emergency aid for food, medicines and other necessities and then the reconstruction of the dog kennels, the disabled section and the quarantine station, found a sponsor for the roof of the cowshed and also made a new huge flight aviary possible.