In the event of a natural calamity we all should rise up, should not get defeated but face the adverse conditions boldly and help others. Besides we should use our presence of mind and our other senses to find a safer and better way to survive. In any natural calamity, the basic needs of the people are the same - food to eat, shelter to live in, means to fight the cold, hygienic conditions, medical aid and hope for betterment. We need to console each other and fight together the grief and hopelessness. The people who suffer need someone to listen to, understand and help them emotionally, physically and psychologically.

Adversity is a Better Teacher Than Good Fortune.

There is no doubt that adversity is a better teacher than good fortune. Under the greatest adversity, there exists the greatest potential for doing good - both for oneself and others. Adversities often push us into new direction. The greatest advantage of adversity is that it shakes us out of our complacency. It brings before us greater challenges and teaches how to deal with them. It gives a ‘wake-up call’. So every adversity is an opportunity and not a curse or punishment. Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all, but the things that cannot be tom, that we see ourselves as we really are.

Prashant was at his friend’s house when the storm struck Orissa. Prashant had to spend two nights on the open rooftop in the rain due to the flood. He survived by eating the coconuts from a tree that had fallen on the roof. However, his village people had to face the fury of the storm. They lost their houses and had to take shelter at the Red Cross shelter.

Preparing the Community for a Natural Disaster Under such changing global conditions, we can never be sure about the safety of our homes and families. Individuals should get together to form a community organization to fight the natural disasters. First of all, there should be a proper and correct warning system be it governmental or privately maintained. Through social awareness programmes and continuous, regular practice sessions all should be ready to evacuate the affected area. In a comparatively safe area i.e. a high plain vast ground to build up permanent safe shelters with the arrangement of all the basic necessities under them so that people of the community can stay there. We should attend the regular training camps, to know the signals and codes and to contact the governmental organisation to get relief. Besides, we should use such materials to build houses which can withstand the impact of cyclone (flood, earthquake). Buildings should be low rise on solid iron structure, with gap on the sides, made up of cement and brick. 

After the rain, Prashant saw a raging, deadly, brown sheet of water everywhere around him. A few fractured cement houses were the only things visible. Bloated animal carcasses and human corpses floated in the water. The trees including the huge ones had fallen down. Prashant felt worried about his family.