As Kerala struggles to deal with floods, WhatsApp and social media are awash with disinformation about the ravaged state. A few of these appear to be politically coloured. There are posts and audio clips by a self-proclaimed hater of “sickulars and commies” that warn against donations, since only the rich are affected, and cast doubts on how money given to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund will be used. Rightwing luminaries on Twitter theorise freely about funds being channelled into mysterious #BreakingIndia projects and the designs of “Fascist Anti-Bharat Leftists”. Others suggest relief money will flow directly into the coffers of the Congress. There is also a video showing a man in combat uniform criticising the state government for not handing over the rescue efforts to the Indian Army –the army has since denounced the video as fake.
Some canards may be born of sheer panic: that cracking dams will unleash fresh floods, for instance. In some places, fake rescue calls confused rescue efforts. The deluge of rumours was so severe that the Kerala chief minister’s office finally tweeted about the “erroneous information” doing the rounds and warned of strict action against those who spread tales about the misuse of relief funds. WhatsApp and social media are vital at this moment, mobilising funds and relief materials, helping rescue workers reached those stranded. The rumours spread on it, political or otherwise, should not deter the flow of funds, relief materials and volunteers into the state.
Because Kerala needs all the help it can get. According to the most recent figures, the death toll is nearing 400 while several remain missing. Over eight lakh people have been crowded into 3,700 relief camps while thousands more remain marooned. Reports suggest that 8,000 houses have been washed away and 26,000 are damaged. As the waters recede, the full scale of the devastation is gradually being revealed. The floods have not distinguished between rich and poor. In areas where roads have been washed away by landslides and floodwaters have entered homes, residents worry about running out of food. In other places, fuel and medicine supplies have been cut. Meanwhile, in the camps, the fear of disease is beginning to spread. The effects of the floods have spread out of the state as well. In Tamil Nadu, the Cauvery flooded its banks, sweeping away the homes of poor labourers. Dystopic videos sent out from flood-hit areas are a cry for help: a man standing neck deep in water inside his own house, a two-storeyed house crashing down a hill after days of rain. Aerial images show a state that seems to be all water, with only the roofs of houses and tree tops poking out.
For now, legislators in the state ask for choppers, boats and medicines. Health workers in the state are also bracing themselves for a fresh outbreak of disease and even the psychological traumas of such devastation. In days to come, Kerala will need to rebuild lives, livelihoods and a sundered economy. According to a preliminary assessment by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, the floods may have caused damage worth Rs 15,000-20,000 crore. This includes losses to the state’s tourism industry, cash crops and international trade. The state cannot do all of it on its own. It is true that leakages cannot be ruled out in relief and recovery operations of this size. But every bit of help, whether from individuals, organisations, state governments or the Centre, will count.
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