Daily Archives: August 22, 2018

#KeralaFloods- Children Face The Challenge Of Climate Change

Flood relief rescue teams, coast guards, soldiers, celebrities, NGO’s and the people of India are all coming together to help out with one of the worst floods this century, to hit the southern state of Kerala. As the water rises, so does the death toll, putting daily life as they know it, to a standstill, for families and their children.

In Kerala today, like other parts of the country affected by ongoing floods, children face the challenge of climate change, despite being least responsible for its causes. From being airlifted from rooftops of their houses and community centres, evacuated in army boats, large fishing vessels and makeshift yachts, navigating through narrow overflowing lanes, being trapped in their homes without food, electricity or water, converging in halls, auditoriums of schools, temples, churches and mosques for shelter, to waiting in neck deep water for someone to rescue them, for many children, the real fight begins after being rescued. What happens to months of missing school, working to rebuild homes, being separated from family members and struggling for their most basic rights in their early years?

Climate change has too often been discussed and debated in abstract terms, negating the childhood costs and placing little attention on its intergenerational impact. Here’s a look at how the #Keralafloods are affecting children.

We appeal to you, to #StandWithKerala and help children get back on their feet and back to a normal life, through sound and trustworthy organizations doing rescue and rehabilitation work – Save the children, Goonj and CHILDLINE India.

Kerala and Tamil Nadu Fire Force personnel carry children on their shoulders through flood waters during a rescue operation in Annamanada village in Thrissur, Kerala (Photo- AFP)

Kerala floods Fire and rescue personnel evacuate residents in an inflatable boat from a flooded area at Muppathadam in Kochi, Kerala (Photo- AFP)

A woman cries as she holds her son after they were evacuated from a flooded area in Aluva, Kerala (Photo- Reuters)

Army personnel carry children on their shoulders to relief camps at Kottayam district in Kerala (Photo- PTI)

Rescuers work tirelessly to evacuate children and their families from a flood-hit locality, in Thiruvananthapuram (Photo- PTI)

Children, with their families sit around at a relief camp (Photo- Unknown)

A little child cries as he is carried to place of rescue during the Kerala floods (Photo- AFP)

A young boy wades through a flooded street in Kochi with the belongings he could gather (Photo- EPA)

After the opening of Idamalayar, Cheruthoni and Mullaperiyar dam shutters following heavy rains, on the outskirts of Kochi, rescue teams evacuate children carrying their belongings in school bags (Photo- Reuters)

Air Force Personnel help in rescuing children and families from less accessible places during the floods (Photo- Unknown)

A boy is airlifted by Navy personnel during a rescue operation Paravoor near Kochi (Photo – AFP)

Soldiers evacuate local children and their parents in Ernakulam (Photo -AFP/Getty Images)

A woman rests with her grandchildren at the Naval relief camp in Kochi after being rescued in a helicopter (Photo- AFP/Getty Images)

A child is rescued from an isolated building with joint efforts by the Army, NDRF personnel, NGOs and locals (Photo – BCCL)