NATURAL CALAMITIES
Nature takes its own course.

The Cyclone in Orissa- October 1999 I was coming back from school . Everything seemed to be normal. I did not know that this is the calm before the storm. It suddenly hit us. I used to live in a small town in Orissa near Paradip. The cyclone destroyed a lot of villages and towns. We had no electricity or water for days. Till today I do not know where my parents are! I was saved because a helicopter sent for relief work brought me to Delhi. I don't have any money. I stay with some relatives. I miss my parents a lot and I hope that they are safe.                                                            Kamala, a refugee      ............... Kamala

Some countries are hit by Floods every year. This happens when there is too much rainfall. The rivers are full of water and break through the embankments . Thousands of people die, children are orphaned and become homeless. Property worth thousands of dollars is damaged.

The San Andreas Fault I was on a sightseeing spree in L.A. Suddenly I heard a noise. I turned and saw the ground shaking and all the people ran. Wires short circuited and fires broke out all over the city followed by the Earthquake. I was near the famed La Brea Tar Pit. All of a sudden, the water there started to boil and the smoke came out. Then suddenly there was another earthquake and cracks appeared on the ground. In this disaster I was injured and I lost my dog and money.

The Landslide in Uttarkashi - 1998 The Landslide in Uttarkashi occured  in Uttar Pradesh in U.P Hills(India). There were huge boulders falling down from the mountain side, crushing all the houses and trees which were in their path. It was almost like a river of boulders. Many children were lost in the Landslide . The trees were uprooted with the force of the huge boulders . Many homes were destroyed.

LANDMINES

UUnicef: The State of  The  World's Children 2000

Did you know???? There are 110 million landmines in 64 countries **Cost to buy a landmine     $ 3 to $ 10 by anyone **Cost to remove a landmine     $300 to $1000 1 in every 20 kids is at risk 8000 to 10,000 children are killed or maimed every year.

Nature We should protect our nature, Because it is our future, God made everything nice, Mountains with ice, Cats and mice, And also farms with rice, Oh ! God is so wise God made the rainbow in the sky, And birds that fly, Let us together pray, For mother earth to go the right way.................                                           Shourya

                                      Let us not burden mother Earth more
                                            - by cutting more trees
                                            - using Polybags
                                            - Nuclear Testing    
                                            - Killing animals        
                                            - Planting Landmines
                                            - by polluting it

Let us preserve nature. It's something we all have to do together. It's          something all future generations have to accept as part of life.

                                          Back to "Children at Risk"

Credits :
Text and drawings : Subhojit, Shankhayan, Udit, Shourya, Sanjana, Ankit, Prateek,Vishesh,Avni
HTML : (India)