Kerala floods: Before help came, Malayalees forgot differences to help each other like never before

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At several relief camps across the state, such stories can be heard. The valour that the central rescue teams and the military showed in plucking thousands out of swelling waters is undisputed, but way before they arrived on the scene, the people of the state had shown the inclination to look out for one another.

“It’s sad that we needed a tragedy of this magnitude for us to come together. I had never realised that we had so much unity among ourselves,” says Dhanesh, whose double-storey home in Varapuzha in Ernakulam district was engulfed by floodwaters. “It’s true that I wouldn’t be alive if not for my villagers,” he adds.

Similarly, in Manjaly, a village adjoining Varapuzha, Rajeshwari, 52, spoke of how her family were ferried in cars to a higher area by helpful locals and panchayat officials. If not for a vehicle, Rajeshwari, who has a slipped disc, says she would have found it extremely arduous to wade through the flooded waters.

A man walking through floodwaters that haven’t completely receded in Chalakka in Paravur taluk

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Several flood survivors indianexpress.com spoke to, stated how the village as a community, in the absence of television news channels (power was disrupted) or updates from the government, relied simply on the speed of the rise of water level and the geography of the area to gauge the danger. Families with the elderly, the handicapped, the women and the children were the first to leave, followed shortly by the men. In several villages, temples, churches, and mosques became rallying centres for evacuation as their influence was believed to be stronger.

“There’s a bridge here in Manjali that goes over the Periyar river. On the other side live mostly poor Hindus belonging to SC/OBC castes. On this side, it’s mostly Muslims. When the floods came, people helped out one another rising over religious lines. So in a way, the bridge became a bridge of peace and communal harmony,” remarks Dr Mohammad Rafique, a homeopath at the local relief camp.

Politics doesn’t divide

The most heartwarming scenes can be seen at the hundreds of schools, colleges, marriage halls and auditoriums that turned into temporary settlement camps for those escaping the floods. Families sat in close huddles, discussing the condition of their homes, the things they lost and strategising on the way forward. They compared each others’ homes, looking at photographs on their cell-phones and debating which one was worse.

At a camp in Kanjoor, P Ashokan, a standing committee member in charge of health at the local panchayat, takes the microphone to give helpful directions for the inmates. “After registration, don’t forget to get your kits from the front desk. All essential supplies like toothpaste-toothbrush, mats and blankets will be distributed after lunch. Women can rest in the classrooms on top. At 4 pm, don’t forget to come to the auditorium for tea,” he says into the microphone.

Photo of a large vessel used to boil rice at a relief camp in Manjaly.

“Our panchayat is ruled by the LDF, but you will not see any political differences here. At a time like this, we cannot be fighting,” Ashokan later tells the indianexpress.com.

The doctor at the Manjaly relief camp attested to the same. “The other day, I was very happy to see two men, who belong to two ideologically-opposite communal outfits, helping with a large vessel to boil rice,” Dr Rafique said smiling.

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At yet another high school-turned-camp in Elamakkara near Kochi, Gireesh, a BJP area committee president, and ward members of the CPM worked together in arranging food and distributing them to the inmates. Otherwise, with knives out at each others’ throats, they left politics aside to ensure everyone got fed.

Food being distributed at a camp in Kanjoor in Ernakulam district

Strength of grassroots local bodies

Kerala’s panchayati raj system and the extraordinary influence its local bodies have in solving the problems of the people are known to many. In fact, when disasters like floods or the Nipah virus outbreak are reported, the first round of action always revolves around the local panchayats and the municipalities. In many cases, the first responders are always connected to these local power-centres, extolling the bottom-up approach.

In the case of the floods too, preliminary reports and interviews with inmates at the shelter camps indicate a strong bond that the people have with the local bodies. For example, the panchayat president’s or the ward member’s contact number would be on the phones of many of the village residents. When calamity strikes, they know who to call.

In the first couple of days, officials told the indianexpress.com that they had to rely entirely on the donations of private individuals and organisations for food and other supplies. In those days, cooked food were brought in to feed the people.

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However, with rain not abating, panchayat officials took steps to open ration shops for rice, sugar and other essential commodities. Vegetables were also sourced from the local markets. In the school’s kitchens, where midday meals are cooked, scores of men and woman sat around cutting vegetables and preparing food. They worked in shifts so that no one works continuously. Food timings were charted and strictly adhered to. Morning tea (both black and with milk) at 6 am, followed by breakfast at 8, lunch at 1, tea and snacks at 4 and dinner at 8. For infants and old people, there was hot milk and eggs. By 10 pm, everyone would retire to the classrooms, men and women sleeping separately.

Indianexpress.com was hardpressed to find someone unhappy with the scheme of things at relief camps. “They (panchayat officials) are trying to do their best. We must understand that and adjust accordingly,” a man at the Kanjoor camp said.