A "tsunami" of COVID-19 cases hitting India has left Griffith's Sikh community devastated and looking for ways to help.
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Indian coronavirus infections and deaths are currently threatening to break record highs, with more than 360,000 new cases and 3754 deaths reported on Monday alone.
The chaos has seen Australia controversially close its borders to the nation, leaving more than 9000 Australians temporarily stranded in the coronavirus-riddled nation.
Jag Mohan Singh, a member of Griffith's Gurdwara Singh Sabha committee, says the MIA's Sikh population feels helpless as they watch the devastation unfold.
We're all very emotionally connected to India here in Griffith and it is devastating to see all these videos, photos, and news coming from back home
- Jag Mohan Singh
"It is a very sad time. To see the loss of life and the people suffering is really hard," Mr Singh said.
"We are all going back to normal over here and over there they sort of were as well, but now all of a sudden this massive tsunami of COVID has hit."
Mr Singh said that Australia's "harsh" decision to ban all travel from India is causing further suffering, by leaving Australians trapped and cutting people off from their family.
"There are Australian citizens over there who have gone over there for funerals and other valid reasons, the government allowed them to do that and now they're stranded," he said.
"I really think we could have possibly used Christmas Island to isolate people and that way they would have eventually been able to return."
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In an effort to help the situation, Griffith's Sikh community is planning to make a significant donation to charity Khalsa Aid.
"People have been very supportive and have donated generously and in the next week we will have something to send to Khalsa Aid," Mr Singh said.
"I think we could be donating more than $15,000 or even $20,000."
Mr Singh said any Griffith residents looking to help out could contact the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Society to make a donation.
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