By Matters India Reporter
Trichur: The Catholic Church has intensified its relief operations in the southern Indian state of Kerala ravaged by the worst flood in a century.
Nearly 400 people died and scores are missing while 1.2 million have taken refuge in relief camps, state officials have said.
On August 23, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced the winding up of the first stage of rescue operation and the launch of massive cleanup works. He called the flood one of the worst in India’s history.
“The Catholic Church in Kerala is fully involved in overcoming the present crisis,” said Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Trichur. All the dioceses, religious, parishes and church organizations are fully were engaged in the relief operations day and night. Many priests and nuns led several relief camps along with people’s representatives and government officials.
The church aid agencies and along with lay people provide food, clothing to the relief camps, the archbishop told Matters India August 21.
“We are happy that the affected people have appreciated our relief camps and services, As usual, the media has not given much publicity for the Church activities,” he added.
The western regions of Kerala are still affected by flood due to the slow intake of water to the sea. As a result, some rivers have even changed its direction, causing widespread damage to several villages displacing thousands of people.
Many villages in the central district of Trichur and southern region of Chengannur are still inundated. The greatest challenge would be to provide infrastructural facilities to the affected people when they return home. The government, NGOs and the Church have begun preparing long-term plans for rehabilitation with the help of the local and international agencies.
Trichur archdiocese sent trucks with relief materials to Kuttanad and Wayanad, about two weeks ago. Trichur was heavily hit only a week later. Heavy water flow damaged many bridges and destroyed several houses. Floods also affected some churches where Mass could not be offered on August 19, Sunday. Like other dioceses, Trichur also converted most of its parish halls, schools and presbyteries as relief camps.
“I am happy to report that priests, sisters, seminarians and lay church leaders are in the forefront in the rescue works and relief activities. People, irrespective of caste and creed are helping us,” Archbishop Thazhath said.
Many volunteers now work day and night preparing kits to distribute to relief camps. Distributed. “The Archbishop’s House in Trichur is now like a market with food and other essentials,” the prelate added.
Kerala received rainfall 40 percent more than the normal for the monsoon season, which runs from June to September. Torrential rain 10 days in August forced officials to release water from dangerously full dams.
The Indian federal government classified the floods as a “calamity of severe nature.”
The floods have devastated the southwestern state, even to the extent of changing its geographical configuration. The hilly areas witnessed several landslides that washed away families with their houses. In Trichur district, 19 people, including 15 Catholics, of four families were washed away as a hill rushed over to their houses.
The floods have severely affected transport and communication systems of the state. The administration closed the Kochi airport after it was inundated. The authorities announced on August 23 that they will open the airport on August 29.
There was a spontaneous overflow of help at every nook and corner of Kerala. People have joined hands with each other irrespective of their religious and socio-political differences. The spontaneous initiative of the fishermen groups to reach out rescue operations in areas where coastal guards could not access.
Officials have put initial storm damage estimates at nearly $3 billion.