VOLUNTEER DONATE SUBSCRIBE Published:1st April 2017

"This is not a Drill" UNITED SIKHS Prepares To Support Australian Cyclone Victims

Local residents been rescued to a safe place.

Queensland, AUSTRALIA - The UNITED SIKHS humanitarian aid team is engaging to serve langar (a hot meal prepared by the Sikh community) to thousands of evacuees affected by Cyclone Debbie, a category 4 Cyclone that hit northeast Australia earlier this week.

"We are eagerly awaiting for clearance from the Army as widespread flooding is hampering access.," said Gurvinder Singh, Director, UNITED SIKHS- Australia . The disastrous storm made landfall Tuesday, March 28th and is the most powerful storm to hit Australia since Cyclone Yasi in 2011. The wild weather has wreaked havoc on local communities, leaving thousands without food, electricity, or access to fresh water.

"Please volunteer and donate so that we may help the evacuees as they try to deal with the aftermath of extensive flooding caused by the torrential rains," appealed Gurvinder Singh. One of the many ways of supporting families is by providing langar to evacuees, who are in shelters or are otherwise unable to cook for themselves. Nourishment is vital during a disaster to help sustain communities.

"We knew immediately; this was not a drill. Lives have been changed forever. We have volunteers ready to help deploy assistance to those in need. This is in essence living what our faith teaches us, to engage in sewa - selfless service," Gurvinder Singh said. "We are working alongside Australian authorities to monitor the situation, assessing the immediate needs of residents."

Damage caused by Cyclone Debbie	A bull shark that washed up in Ayr, north Queensland, after Cyclone Debbie. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Parts of the region have been left nearly unrecognizable by the destruction. Wind gusts, which reached up to 163 mph, ripped roofs from homes and uprooted trees. Local news stations have reported seeing everything from boats to bull sharks wash up on beaches and river banks.

Meanwhile, as of Wednesday, more than 63,000 people were still without power and 40,000 more were ordered to evacuate their homes due to flooding concerns.In light of this catastrophe, we are currently collecting donations for the families across these affected regions.

"We will be here now, over the coming days, and as long as the communities need us. It's in times like these that we realize the impact of monetary donations. It's because of the generous contributions from our supporters that we are able to respond when people are hurting, helpless and most need us," Gurvinder Singh said.

Consider showing your generosity with either monetary donations or goods today. Two ways to donate

1. DONATE MONEY - A $10 AUD (₤5 $6 USD) donation will provide one hot meal for a family four. Credit card/paypal Click here. Cheque mail to UNITED SIKHS INC PO BOX 425, Epping Victoria 3076, Melbourne, Australia Tel +61 420 391 982 Direct Bank deposit Bank:Westpac Bank Bank Address: 530 Collins Street Melbourne Australia 3000 Account Name: UNITED SIKHS INC Account Number: 303797 BSB: 033017br> SWIFT CODE: WPACAU2S 2. DONATE GOODS -UNITED SIKHS welcomes the donation of the following items if they can be delivered to the base camp in Queensland whose details may be obtained by emailing sikhaid-aus@unitedsikhs.org Bottled water Baby food Non-perishable (canned) food Lentils Rice Flour Tea Sugar Toiletries Water purification tablets

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Issued by,
Arwinder Singh
Director, UNITED SIKHS , Australia
E: contact@unitedsikhs.org

For Media Inquiries, please contact Media Coordinator, Rhonda Craig at media-global@unitedsikhs.org