Weathering the Storm in Ersama
Writer Introduction
The chapter “Weathering the Storm in Ersama” is written by Harsh Mander, an Indian writer, activist and social worker. His writings focus on compassion, human rights, social justice, poverty, migration and disaster relief. In this story, he narrates the real-life survival experiences of a young boy after the 1999 super cyclone in Odisha.
Story – Retelling in Simple Words
The story is about a boy named Prashant who visits Ersama, a town in Odisha, to meet a friend. While he is there, a terrible super cyclone hits the region. Heavy rain, violent winds and rising flood waters destroy houses, trees and everything around them. Prashant is trapped in his friend’s house for two days with no food, very little shelter and no way to communicate.
After the storm calms slightly, Prashant decides to leave and check on his family in his village. The journey is horrifying: uprooted trees, floating dead bodies of people and animals, broken houses and destroyed land everywhere. He walks through waist-deep water for hours, facing great danger.
When he reaches his village, he finds that his house is completely destroyed. His family, however, has taken shelter in a Red Cross camp. They are weak, hungry and frightened, but seeing Prashant gives them hope.
Prashant soon realises that the camp has hundreds of people with nothing to eat or wear. He decides to help. He organizes groups, encourages volunteers, arranges food from relief centres, and helps children, women and orphans. He even starts a food-for-work program and helps widows and others rebuild their lives.
Through leadership, courage and compassion, Prashant turns a tragedy into a mission of service. His efforts bring hope and strength to everyone who has lost everything.
Short Summary (50–70 words)
The chapter describes the courage of Prashant during the 1999 Odisha super cyclone. Stranded for two days, he walks through floodwaters to reach his village and finds it devastated. At the relief camp, he organizes food, medical help and rehabilitation for survivors. His leadership and compassion restore hope to the affected community.
NCERT Questions and Answers
1. What havoc did the super cyclone create in Ersama?
The super cyclone caused massive destruction. Houses were blown away, trees were uprooted, and floodwaters covered everything. Thousands of people and animals died. The entire region was left without food, shelter or communication.
2. How did Prashant reach his village? What difficulties did he face?
Prashant travelled on foot through deep, muddy floodwaters. He faced heavy rain, strong winds, floating bodies, broken trees and dangerous debris. The journey was long and frightening, but he continued out of concern for his family.
3. How did Prashant help the people at the Red Cross shelter?
He organized volunteer groups, collected food from relief helicopters, arranged clean drinking water, motivated people to take care of orphans and widows, started a food-for-work program and helped rebuild the community.
4. Why was Prashant’s return such a great relief to his family?
His family had feared he was dead because of the cyclone. When Prashant returned safely, they finally felt hope and emotional support after days of trauma and suffering.
5. How did Prashant show leadership qualities?
He took initiative, motivated others, organized resources, solved problems, and worked for the welfare of everyone. Despite his own losses, he focused on helping the entire community.
Extra Questions (Exam-Oriented)
1. Describe the condition of Ersama after the cyclone.
Ersama looked like a wasteland. Dead bodies, fallen trees, and destroyed houses were everywhere. People were starving and injured, livestock had died, and there was no electricity, transport or communication.
2. Why did Prashant become emotional after reaching the shelter?
After witnessing extreme destruction and fearing for his family, he finally reached the shelter and saw them alive. This sudden relief and overwhelming situation made him emotional.
3. What role did women play in relief work?
Women cooked food, looked after children, treated the injured and coordinated daily tasks. They played an active role in reorganizing life at the camp.
4. How does the chapter highlight the importance of community support?
The survivors rebuild their lives not alone but together. By sharing food, working together, caring for orphans and supporting widows, they demonstrate that unity can overcome even the worst disasters.
5. Give a character sketch of Prashant.
Prashant is courageous, compassionate and selfless. He rises above his personal losses, provides leadership during crisis, helps everyone equally and inspires people to rebuild their lives. His actions show maturity beyond his age.
Conclusion
“Weathering the Storm in Ersama” is a powerful story of courage, leadership and humanity. It teaches that even in the darkest times, one determined individual can bring hope and inspire an entire community.