Video Editor : Prashant Chauhan, Deepthi Ramdas
Cameraperson : Smitha TK
Clutching his 60-year-old wife and baby grand daughter, Siva ran to the backwaters and jumped into the first boat he saw. As the boat floated away from what was once his home, he saw water had engulfed everything. Siva had been supporting his family of eight with a small provision store built on the bunds of the backwaters. When the floods struck, bunds broke – and houses, fields, temples, shops, life savings and dreams... all sank under water.
This has been the story of hundreds living in Kerala’s rice bowl and the mecca of boat races: Kuttanad in Alleppey district.
Now, the sun is out, the waters have receded, the media has forgotten and moved on. But all is still not well in Kerala.
Streets are filled with broken toys, washed-away TVs, rows of documents drying in the sun and people walking towards their homes, discovering that nothing of what they once owned is left.
The extraordinary southwest monsoon in Kerala unleashed floods and landslides in mid-August causing absolute havoc, throwing routine life into disarray.
At least 340 people lost their lives, with Thrissur district having the highest number of fatalities at 72. As many as 10,319 houses were completely wiped out, 99,282 houses severely damaged, nearly 10,000km of roads and 510 bridges destroyed, 500,792 poultry died, 60,000 hectares of farmland washed away, and 12,452 hectares of fish farms are now in ruins.
As per Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, the damages have amounted to Rs 4,796 crore 35 lakh. The authorities say this number is likely to go up as the rebuilding has just begun.
Hope and Help Revive God’s Own Country
The small town of Chengannur in Alleppey was on the brink of losing most of its inhabitants to the floods. MLA Saji Cherian broke down on a night news show and begged for helicopters to be brought in immediately, or else, he said, at least 50,000 people would be washed away. Within hours, seven helicopters rushed in. The Navy and NDRF came in with their boats, and the rescue operation began. The MLA, appearing on TV again, smiled with gratitude, saying they lost count of the number of trucks and cars that came in from all over India to help rebuild Chengannur.
Sixty-year-old Dorai recounts how he was marooned in a room along with his ailing parents for five days. When water had reached up till their necks, he was sure it was going to be his last day. Help arrived at the last moment, and today, he has nothing to call home. But he cannot stop smiling in gratitude.
“So many random well-wishers came and gave me food, clothes. As for everything I lost... yes, I don’t have a bed to sleep in or a house to go to, but that’s okay. These strangers have given me hope to move on.”Dorai, Resident, Chengannur
All Gone But The Fighting Spirit Lives On
For those living in the backwaters of Kuttanad in Alleppey, life continued in relief camps for over 90 days.
It is only by the first week of September that people were able to return to their homes. Most of them lost clothes, documents, provisions, furniture and appliances. But they didn’t wait for government funds to roll in or for cleaners to sanitise their areas. Since the first day, they have hitched up their sarees and mundus to work on making their homes new again.
For those living in the backwaters of Kuttanad in Alappuzha, for over 90 days, life continued at relief camps.
(Photo: Smitha TK/ The Quint)
The authorities have been working round-the-clock ensuring basic amenities and provisions for everyone.
“The biggest challenge is drinking water. We have arranged kiosks in all parts of Kuttanad, and even tankers and RO plants. Most of the toilets have been destroyed and so around 200 bio-toilets will be installed in Kuttanad.”Suhas, Collector, Alleppey
Even after losing everything, people’s hearts are full of gratitude for all the heroes who rescued them and are helping rebuild Kerala, one house and one family at a time.
“I never thought a chief minister would work like this. I’ve been in politics for 40 years now. Kerala is an example of how governments should work.”Saji Cheriyan, MLA, Chengannur
It was heartwarming to see volunteers go into people’s homes to clean up and clear the debris without even informing the families who were living there. People who only had enough for three meals were refusing help so that others who were worse off could sleep peacefully – the community spirit shown in the state is enough to give you goosebumps.
Preventing an Outbreak of Disease
Waters have receded, but what they’ve left behind are a host of diseases. Residents and volunteers living in flood-ravaged areas are being given preventive medication for leptospirosis, which is a bacterial disease that is transmitted from animals – rats to humans. Elderly people and those with kidney or liver ailments are more vulnerable to the disease.
Kerala has sounded an alert for leptospirosis, especially in Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram and Pathanamthitta. Doctors have advised people to look out for any symptoms of fever, headache, abdominal pain and rashes.
The Ernakulam psychiatric society has also introduced a massive mental health adoption programme. They have launched a 24x7 helpline to provide counselling for people in flood-affected districts to battle depression, post-traumatic stress and anxiety.
The people of Kerala have shown amazing grit and perseverance, giving a masterclass in how to cope with disaster and move on with hope and positivity.
Living up to Kerala’s name –
Deivathinde swantham naadu! (God’s own country)
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