KOCHI: When Kerala suffered in the deluge, hundreds came to the aid of the victims. And, taking up relief works relentlessly was the NGO ‘Reach World Wide’. The volunteers extended their helping hands to almost all flood-ravaged localities including Ranni, Chengannur, Kottayam, Kumarakom, Aluva, Paravur and Kuttanad.
From supplying food, water, medicines, clothes and various other essentials to setting up camp for the flood victims, Reach World Wide actively participated in all phases of the flood relief activities.
Reach World Wide started off their relief activities in the severely-affected Kuttanad. In the first phase, 500 food packets and 150 umbrellas were provided. The volunteers had to walk on their feet for kilometres and travel in boats with relief materials to reach the victims as the roads were completely flooded. Hundreds of volunteers fanned across Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha took part in the initiative. More than 5,000 flood relief kits were also distributed in Kottayam and Kuttanad regions in the first phase of the relief activity.
With the help of boats owned by Reach World Wide volunteers from Mararikulam and Kumarakom, the rescue and relief operations were initiated from Tiruvalla Market Junction. Along with the help of the public, Reach World Wide could rescue more than 300 people. It also organised many medical camps around Chengannur and Niranam. In Kochi, Reach World Wide could distribute 10,000 food packets in four camps at Aluva and Varapuzha.
As many as 4,000 flood victims were provided with essential groceries and clothes in Perumbavoor and Muvattupuzha regions. In Idukki, Reach World Wide distributed rice and groceries to camps in Vallakadavu, Pallimuku, Keezhkavu regions via lorries. The volunteers also supplied essentials in Thrissur, Kozhikode, Kasaragod and Wayanad districts. A container of collected items from Reach centres abroad was given to Kottayam Collectorate for further distribution.
Two of Reach World Wide volunteers went missing during a mission to rescue two fellow volunteers who fell into River Pamba. The body of a volunteer, Lesvin, was recovered from Chegannur five days later, but there is still no information about the second person.