17 August 2018 : Today is Chingam 1, an auspicious day in Kerala, marking the first day of the New Year as per the Malayalam calendar. This day marks the end of the rainy season and people eagerly look forward to celebrating the festival of Onam during this month. But sadly this is not the situation in Kerala this day. Kerala today is witnessing an unprecedented crisis caused by floods and landslides.
The rains have not ceded and the news reports claim a death toll of 156 and rising. The Kochi International Airport has been shut down. Houses have been flooded or worse, washed away. Landslides have stranded many and are hopeful of being rescued. No electricity; severe shortage of clean water and food. The pumping of drinking water has stopped and the taps have run dry. Drinking water in cans are being distributed in the major towns. Relief camps are being set up across different parts of the state. The schools and colleges have been shut down. Exams postponed. Offices closed. The whole state has come to a standstill. There are videos and news reports of the calamity all over the media.
The army, navy and coast guard teams are trying to rescue the trapped and get them to safety. People across the country are mobilising relief measures and packages of food, drinking water, clothes are arriving into the state.
Kerala called God’s Own Country, a popular tourist destination known world-wide through the images of serene backwaters, coconut trees and houseboats is in turmoil today, battling the fury of the floods. As we pray and hope for rains to stop soon there is a massive requirement of supplies and funds to help the state crawl back to normalcy. The aftermath of the floods are devastating; please consider this as an appeal for help. For those who wish to step up and help, please donate to the Government of Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund via the following link. https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in
Miles and smiles 