Ramakrishna Mission Saradapitha, a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Belur Math, has launched relief work in areas ravaged by Cyclone Yaas.

A team of monks and representatives of a corporate house, including a former student of Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur, visited Kumirmari in South 24-Parganas on June 8 and distributed ration to 500 families. Two truckloads of ration that included rice, sugar, mustard oil, biscuit, pulses and other items were sent to the area.

Subir Kumar Somadder, a former student of Vidyamandira and the general manager of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, Calcutta, said they decided to fund the relief work after Swami Divyananda, the secretary of Saradapitha, approached them.

“He was my teacher. We spent close to Rs 9 lakh on the mission,” said Somadder.

One of the monks attached to Saradapitha said river water was still entering villages during high tide as embankments had breached under the impact of the cyclone. “It is impossible for these people to cook. The situation could further worsen during high tide. We are trying to help as much as possible,” he said.