TRO-USA appeals for funds to help Katrina victims

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 September 2005, 12:37 GMT]
Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO-USA), head quartered in Cumberland, Maryland, posted an appeal in its website, soliciting funds to help the victims of hurricane Katrina which hit New Orleans, Louisiana displacing 220,000 people and killing several thousands. "TRO is very grateful of the tremendous help provided by American people during Tsunami and wishes to express its sympathy for the victims of Katrina and encourages all to help with Katrina relief efforts," the posting on the website said.

"Our target is to collect US$25k-$35k. With the number of inquiries we have had from expatriate Tamils in the US and in some other countries, and the offers of help, I strongly feel we can achieve this target," TRO's President Dr Ranjithan told TamilNet when asked to comment on the appeal.

"Although we have not yet decided where to channel the collected funds, since a plane load of hurricane survivors are expected to arrive to Washington D.C to be housed in D.C Armory, we are reviewing whether if it is logistically prudent to offer the donated funds for this effort," TRO's President added.

Hurricane Katrina which developed from a tropical wave about 175 miles east of Nassau, affter moving southwest across Florida the hurricane exited west into the Gulf of Mexico where it reached Category 5 on August 28, 2005. It made its second landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana with 140 mph winds, or Category 4, on August 29, 2005. Hurricane Katrina's eyewall then passed over the eastern edge of New Orleans before the hurricane was again over water. A few hours later it made landfall for a third time near the Louisiana/Mississippi border with 125 mph winds, or Category 3. It weakened from this point forward, losing hurricane status crossing over 100 miles inland, near Laurel, Mississippi. It was downgraded to a tropical depression near Clarksville, Tennessee as it continued to race northward.

Early in the morning of August 30, 2005 and as a direct result of Hurricane Katrina, breaches in three places of the levee system on the Lake Pontchartrain side of New Orleans caused a second and even greater disaster. Heavy flooding covered almost the entire city over a sustained period, forcing the total evacuation of over a million people. The city was now uninhabitable, due to 80% of its area being below sea level meaning that the water had nowhere to go.

External Links:

Wikipedia:		Hurricane Katrina
WP:		Hundreds of Storm Evacuees Coming to D.C. Today by Plane
TRO-USA:		TRO-USA Katrina fund appeal