Kerala Floods: Here’s What You Can Do to Help

Kerala is reeling in the aftermath of one of the heaviest monsoons in recent history.

Kerala is reeling in the aftermath of one of the heaviest monsoons in the recent past.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute/Sreedevi Jayarajan)

With a red alert declared in 13 of the 14 districts of Kerala, the state is reeling in the aftermath of one of the heaviest monsoons in the recent past.

114 lives have been lost in rain-related calamities till 17 August, and thousands of people have been shifted to relief camps.

Overseeing rescue operations in flood-hit areas, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state needs to concentrate on helping people rebuild their lives. For this purpose, he urged people and Non-Resident Indians (NRI) to contribute to the CM's distress relief fund. Additionally, Rs 200 crore has been released for relief work.

The Army, Navy, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and others continue to work tirelessly towards rescuing people. You can also do your bit to help those affected. Here’s how:

CM's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF)

You can contribute to the CM's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). If you choose to mail a cheque/DD, you can send them to:

The Principal Secretary (Finance) Treasurer,
Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund,
Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram - 1.

If you choose to make a donation online, the account details are as follows:

Account number: 67319948232
Bank: State Bank of India
Branch: City branch, Thiruvananthapuram
IFS Code: SBIN0070028
PAN: AAAGD0584M
Name of Donee: CMDRF

Not just a financial contribution, you can also help those affected by sending essential items that they need at the relief camps.

You can donate by going to donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in. Once you log on to the website, click on the donate menu and fill the Online Donation Form.

Help in Kind – KeralaRescue.in

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) with the IT mission has launched KeralaRescue.in, a website to reach out to the victims with help in kind. Sambasiva, the man behind the initiative, told The News Minute,

Basically, it is a communication platform between victims, volunteers and contributors, and administration. We have the admin system. There are project managers in every district working with their teams on the requests that come on the site. We have student volunteers of IEEE. Anyone can join as a volunteer. The admins have put up the requirements. People – the victims – could also add their requirements. Information will be given by admins to volunteers, who go and collect the materials from contributors and give to a common collection centre.

#DoForKerala

In Ernakulam, the district administration has joined hands with Anbodu Kochi, an NGO, and has rolled out an initiative called #DoForKerala.

Essential items, including pulses, lentils, water, food items such as rusk, rice, salt, tea powder, bleaching powder, etc are being collected at the Regional Sports Centre in Kadavanthara. If in Kochi, you can contribute in kind at the centre.

District Collection Centres

District collectors have urged people to contribute for the welfare of displaced persons. Essential items include bedsheets, sleeping mats, towels, clothes, mugs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, steel plates and serving spoons.

Kannur

The items may be delivered to the Iritty Taluk office in the district (contact: 9645216958) or Control Room, Collectorate, Kannur (04972700645).

Idukki

And to the District Collector Idukki, Idukki Collectorate, Painavu PO, Kuyilimala, Idukki, PIN- 685603.

To help the affected people in Idukki, you can send the items either to the collectorate or taluk control rooms (see Collector's Facebook post below for details of control rooms).

If unable to donate in person, you can also place an order through any online portal and send it to any of the addresses mentioned above.

Wayanad

You can contribute to the Wayanad Relief Fund by transferring contributions to:

A/C No: 520101255240506
Bank name: Corporation Bank
IFSC: CORP0001426
Kalpetta Branch

You can also send materials including drinking water, clothes, rice, biscuits, notebooks, pencils, pens, school bags, sanitary napkins, footwear and other household items to: District Collector, Civil Station, Kalpetta-673122, Wayanad district, Kerala. For further queries, contact Sandeep (9745166864) or Sebastian (9746239313).

Online Portals

A list of centres providing rescue ops - including shelters, food, medical essentials, has been provided by Google. Find it here.

Amazon, with its implementation partners and state and national disaster coordination committees, will provide immediate relief to the victims. It has partnered with three NGOs - Habitat for Humanity India, World Vision India, Goonj. To donate, click here.

Paytm has also opened a dedicated page to contribute towards the Kerala CM's Distress Relief Fund. Access it here.

India’s crowdfunding website Milaap, too, opened a fund sourcing page. The fundraiser can be found here.

Anbodu Kochi, a social media collective, has set up several collection centres across south India as well.

Local Efforts

The News Minute has also outlined collection points that have been set up in Kerala, Chennai and Bengaluru to collect essential items and supply it to the stranded people via relief teams.

Cochin: Regional Sports Centre, Kadavanthra (9809700000, 9895320567, 9544811555)

Trivandrum: Weavers Village in Rosscote Lane, opposite Trivandrum Club; Sri Mulam Club, Vazhuthacaud; and B-hub, Mar Iavnios Vidyanagar, Nalanchira

Hyderabad: SMR Vinay City, Bolarum Road, Miyapur (900035188, 9703503573, 8886555226, 9840921173), The English and Foreign Languages University, near Sitaphalmandi Overbridge (8086869573, 9746286425, 91775096030), Banjara Hilla, Flat No 6-3-594/10A, Anand Nagar (7842216157, 8790408101, 8606821009), Tata Institute of Social Sciences, NIRD Road, Rajendranagar (73820922647, 7995926635, 9633134831, 8547930466)

Bengaluru: Sankara Eye Hospital Kundalahali Gate, Varthur Main Road (9739011685); Avohi, Venus Building, Kalyana Mandapa Road, Jakkasandra Ext, Koramangala (9731980066); Confederation of Indian Industry, CII, 12 Main, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar (7001663618, 9740233244); Tanzeb, 4017, First Cross Road, Stage 2, Domlur (9916900719); Keli Cultural Association, Pruksa Silvana, Nimbekaipura Road, Budigere Cross, Old Madras Road (9945481192); Midway City Owners Association, Concorde Midway City, Basapura Road, Hosa Road Junction (9964741820, 8041234875); Ganga Vertica, Neeladri main Road, Electronic City (8867846625)

Chennai: Lotus Exotic Journeys, 33/17, Thomas Nagar, Little Mount, Saidapet, Chennai - 15. (9789053919). You can also give relief material at: Navin Dayton heights, B block, community Hall, No.76, Nelson Manickam Road, Chennai - 29 (7871512200, 9884408677, 9442527878).

In Bengaluru, Sandhya Menon is collecting provisions and raising funds for North Wayanad. Things required for kits are 5kg rice, 1kg sugar, 250gm tea powder, 1/2 kg salt, Whole moong (cherupayar), 1 ltr cooking oil. You can contact her here.

Rescue Helplines

Please also share rescue helplines to help people who are stranded.

Kerala State Emergency Operations Centre - 0471-2364424.

Kerala State Disaster Management Control Room - 0471-2331639.

(With inputs from The News Minute)