India Mormons make sacrifices to relieve flood victims

October annually brings typhoons and other severe storms to South Asia, and this year was no exception. The worst flooding in several decades devastated southern India during October, hitting the provinces of Karnakata and Andhra Pradesh particularly hard. More than 200 people were reported dead, and more than a million local residents had to take temporary refuge in state-run shelters and relief camps.

To help the victims, priesthood leaders in the area were eager to provide the needed assistance from the resources of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and also the willing efforts of the local Mormons. Accordingly, the first weekend after the storms abated, President Prasad Rao Gudey of the Hyderabad India District organized the members of the district to help. He was able to bring an entire bus load of priesthood holders to the city of Kurnool to assist those who had been impacted by the storms and flooding. Hyderabad is approximately four hours north of the flood zone, so the travel efforts were significant.

After arriving, the members took charge of the distribution of the goods and materials that had been provided by the church and several other relief organizations, but which were not being sent to the people in need due to the lack of an organized plan and process for doing so.

According to President Gudey, "Our young men did a wonderful work in delivering food and water to those in need; the goods had been donated and had arrived in the province, but the government had no ability to deliver them to the victims. There were thousands who were waiting for relief, but it was not being provided until we came.

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This story is provided by the LDS Church News, an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is produced weekly by the Deseret News.