Dharamshala: His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote this morning to the Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, to convey his appreciation of the efficient precautions that he and his government have taken to evacuate people to safety to avoid the ravages of Cyclone Fani, with the result that casualties have been relatively low.
“At the same time, I would like to express my sadness about the lives that were lost, the devastation of property, and the hardship this storm has caused to so many people. I offer my condolences to those families who have lost loved ones and my prayers for the welfare of everyone affected by this huge cyclone.”
His Holiness expressed his appreciation that relief efforts are underway and that everything possible is being done to help those affected. As a mark of solidarity with the people of Odisha, he has made a donation from the Dalai Lama Trust to the efforts to provide relief and rebuild.
An extremely severe cyclonic storm called Fani ravaged the eastern coastal state of Orissa as it made its landfall on Friday morning, causing widespread havoc and destruction of properties, water shortage and power cuts. According to reports, the death toll rose 29 as of 5 May.