Nature's Fury Unleashed on God's Own Country...What Can We Do?

Credits: mictv.in

August 2018 has seen rain wreaking devastation in God’s Own Country, Kerala. The little state on the south western Malabar Coast is endowed with Nature’s abundance and receives more than a fair amount of rainfall every year. This year the rains played havoc and after nearly a hundred years, the state has been hit with floods of this magnitude rendering over two lakhs of the population homeless, in relief camps and the death toll crossing three hundred and fifty and rising. Estimated damage is more than 10,000crores.

Credits: indiatoday.in

The News channels covering the situation show us how bad and depressing the situation is and yet, the reality is much worse. Shutters of thirty five of forty two dams have been opened! I was told by a friend this morning and we were chatting about how we had no idea that the little state of ours had so many dams! I read up about them and while some say there are 38-39, wiki says 42 with a list to support so I stand by 42 though the 35 is sacrosanct. No, I am not aiming to do a survey of dams in Kerala or anywhere else but giving you an idea of the situation in northern and central districts of the state, which are the worse affected.

Credits: facebook.com

The relief operations are on in full gusto. The Armed forces, the Coast Guard, the National Disaster Relief Force and many more agencies are doing a commendable job and have rescued over 80,000 people stranded at different parts of the state- from roof tops and trees or trapped houses, the brave teams notwithstanding the weather are persisting in their rescue operations. Not only this, it is heartening to see the untrained local population doing a great job of collecting relief material and providing as much support as they possibly can. The Chief Minister and the entire administration are doing a great job as well trying to arrange for assistance of every kind.

The Indian Nation has come together yet again to keep their people afloat with not just the centre but various state governments providing aid in trying times like this. Despite the status quo about the Mullaperiyar dam water levels with Tamil Nadu, which are operated by them and are cause of concern to the population in Kerala as has been seen now, the Chief Minister has also extended aid to their neighbour in distress. Hopefully, the governments can now see reason and take necessary steps to lower the level. Be it the Odisha fire fighting team trained in flood relief or the UK based Sikh charity Khalsa Aid who have set up a langar in Kochi to provide food for thousands of homeless people, India stands together as one in times of crisis.

Trying times lie ahead for the State and its people; with shortage of food, water and medicine supplies; with diseases waiting to happen; with their shelters being make shift for a long time; with the infra structure of hospitals to be rebuilt and made fit for use; but the spirit with which they are holding up and fighting and with the aid coming in from all over the country and overseas  as well, Kerala will emerge stronger than before, having learnt from her mistakes and making sure she doesn’t suffer this fate again.

Credits: twitter.com

That was all about the state, its current situation and the aids they are receiving. However, they need much much more. Please contribute if you can in whichever way that you can. I have often seen people refrain from helping when they hear lots of aid coming from other people or agencies including their friends. They feel their contribution would be meager in comparison. It isn’t. Any sort of help is welcome. If you can send only a hundred, then send hundred, if you want to send in kind do so, surplus medicine that you may have, lentils, sugar whatever- you send what you can and send it with good will. It will be a blessing. Every single drop makes an ocean. If you cannot do any of it for whatever reason, just send out a heartfelt prayer that the people who have lost so much can come out of it soon and with dignity.