Kerala is reeling from floods and torrential rain. Idukki, Palakkad, Wayanad, Kannur, Ernakulum, Malappuram, Kottayam & Pathanamthitta are reported to be the worst affected districts. A total of 367 casualties have been reported. More than 700,000 people have taken shelter in 5600+ relief camps.
Kodagu is in between 2 districts of Kerala - Kasaragodu and Kannur. Hence Kodagu too has been impacted severely. As this is surrounded by hills, more than floods it is impacted by land-slides. It has 41 relief camps for 5000+ people across the district. 40 bridges are damaged, 274 kilo-meters of road is impacted. Casualties count is increasing day by day. 50,000 people are impacted, some 4000 people are not traced.
Help is requested for Kerala and Kodagu. Response is extremely good. Relief/rehabilitation camps popped up, helps up to 250 people in each camp. Community Halls, Wedding Halls, Homestays, Resorts, Lodges, few buildings are converted as relief camps and accommodate people in different capacity. Individuals, Associations, Organisations are very kind enough to support at this point of time. Youth, Youth Groups, Local associations, NGOs, Government, NSS, NCC, NDRF, Navy and Army are on the job to support in whatever way possible. General public is getting live update through news channels, WhatsApp, Facebook and other social media which is helping to identify the need and cater to the demand. Lots of people are donating money expecting the items to be bought by representatives. All is well.
Lot of ready-to-eat food items reached district head-quarters and it is partially supplied to needy as the connectivity is lost between district centre and taluks. More than 300 trucks supplied items on a single day (Sunday – 19thAugust) to Kodagu. Lot of volunteers are involved in rescue operation, there is a scarcity of volunteers in relief camps.
All the kind / donations / monies have limited scope for few days; until people shift from relief centres to their places. Everyone thinks the kind has reached the needy. The needs keep changing w.r.t situation. Ready-to-eat food, Groceries, Medicine, Clothes, Candles and Matchboxes, Help-Kit, Washroom items, Personal hygiene items, etc., Once the need is served or need is changed additional supplies go waste / unused.
Few needs go un-identified or completely ignored. One best example is counsellors / psychiatrists. People in relief camps needs some ears to hear them, to share their grief, to support them while they are in relief camps. Counsellors need not be professional, but their presence makes a lot of difference.
Real question comes after people leave the relief centres. Many people would have lost their houses, agricultural lands, plantations, etc., Amenities like schools, colleges, library, offices would have damaged to great extent. How soon people can reconstruct these things ? Answer depends on the potential remaining. For a family having only one house - rebuilding takes entire life. For a family who had 2 story building it takes few days/weeks to get back to normal. Actual help is needed at this point of time.
Can people wait till that time instead of just sending materials to impacted areas !?
