Huge cyclone tears through India

More than a million people in India fled their homes as Cyclone Phailin unleashed a deadly combination of rain, winds and flooding over the weekend. The cyclone was the worst to hit the country in more than a decade and is said to have torn through half the the country with winds of more than 200mph.

The tropical storm that hit India in 1999 left 10,000 people dead and 1.6 million homeless, and an eight metre tidal wave swept away homes. Indian officials say they are better prepared this time and their objective is to achieve "zero casualties". On Friday Indian authorities set up shelters and advised that no one should return to their homes.

CAFOD's humanitarian team is already in touch with sister agencies, including Caritas India. They report that there has been huge damage to property and infrastructure.

On Friday night Caritas said they were extensive damage to kutcha (mud) houses, damage to old buildings and large scale disruption of power and communication lines. Extensive flooding could also result in the disruption of rail and road traffic with extensive damage to agricultural crops.

The Director of our Humanitarian Department, Matthew Carter, said: "At this stage it is difficult to get a full picture of the overall impact of the storm, but if it is anything like the storm that hit in 1999, we know that infrastructure, homes and livelihoods will have been swept away. We will urgently need to reach communities in remote areas who will be in need of shelter, clean drinking water and food."

For more information and to support CAFOD's appeal see: www.cafod.org.uk/Give/Donate-to-Emergencies/India-Cyclone-Appeal