UAE expats will play a significant role in rebuilding the Wayanad district in the Southern Indian state of Kerala after devastating floods and landslides killed hundreds and buried a large area under debris, according to the state’s chief minister (CM).
In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, Pinarayi Vijayan said that when Wayanad’s rebuilding process begins, he is sure his “brothers and sisters” in the UAE will “play a lead role in that process” as they have always done.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
“Expatriate Malayalis have always been at the forefront of assisting their native land whenever Kerala needed,” he said. “In recent times, we have seen an outpour of such help during cyclone Ockhi, previous floods and Covid. Even now, expats and their organisations are making sizeable contributions to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). Many have promised to rebuild the homes of the affected.”
In the early hours of July 30, some areas of the district were hit with heavy rain and landslides, killing scores of people in what was one of the worst tragedies in the history of the state. According to figures released by the CM’s office, 231 dead bodies and 212 body parts were recovered, with over 100 people still reported missing. Last month, the state conducted a mass burial of unidentified bodies followed by an interfaith prayer.
Vijayan has called on travellers to continue visiting Wayanad to help the district recover from the disaster. “Wayanad is a stunning destination with lush landscapes and mesmerising scenic beauty,” he said. “Visiting the disaster-affected areas is restricted. However, most of Wayanad remains open to tourists. Tourism plays a crucial role in supporting the local community, and helps sustain the livelihoods of many residents.”
Rebuilding will take time
According to Vijayan, the rebuilding of Wayanad will take a long time. “It will be a long-drawn-out process,” he said. “We have the experience of the historic floods of 2018, in which we had to envisage something as comprehensive as the Rebuild Kerala Initiative. It took a few years to be completed.”
He said the government is still assessing the total extent of losses in Wayanad. “Once we have the complete picture, we can plan the appropriate rebuilding process,” he said. “As of now, we are gearing up to construct a township with all amenities – including housing, health, education, sports and recreation – in it.”
He added that during the current rehabilitation phase, the government’s focus was on assisting the survivors. Back-to-home kits and monetary help—including rent, emergency assistance, and unemployment wages—have been provided to the displaced families.
Emphasis was on getting displaced students back into schools. Students of two other damaged schools were absorbed into one single institute. “The education of 650 students was affected,” he said. “However, from August 27 onwards, academic activities restarted at the Meppadi Higher Secondary School. Lost certificates were reissued to students on an emergency basis so their higher education would not be hampered. Textbooks, uniforms and kits have been provided. Computers/laptops, bio-toilets, furniture, cooking utensils, transportation and additional infrastructure are being ensured based on the actual requirement on the ground.”
The children were welcomed to school with back-to-school festivities- something that is only organised during the start of the school year. According to local authorities, all teachers had received counselling to handle the students, many of whom had lost their best friends and classmates.
Improve weather forecast system
According to Vijayan, the biggest takeaway for the government was to improve the state’s weather forecast system.
“Landslide forecast system in our country are in an infancy stage,” he said. “Landslides cannot be predicted accurately or prevented fully but their impacts can be reduced. In order to ensure that, the official weather forecast system needs to be improved at the national level. This needs to be fast-tracked through more intensive research by the National Nodal Agencies. This is the key takeaway from this disaster.”
He said the state has set up an Institute of Climate Change Studies for Kerala and the Climate Change Adaptation Mission to be further prepared for natural disasters. “The government of Kerala has decided to focus on land use and localised community based early warning systems,” he said. “Community-based relief shelters will be built in the landslide-prone areas too, as it is done in the coastal areas.”