From Fields of Gold to Waters of Woe

Imagine enjoying the first rain of your last monsoon. How would it make you feel?

You’re blessed; you have the choice to answer this question and just have to imagine such a situation. But there are people who haven’t had a moment to enjoy before being struck by a flood or landslide. This is clearly visible: the joy of growing crops is rapidly turning into a nightmare of holes filled with bodies. It might sound overwhelming, but this is the current reality of the world. No one is able to do anything about such crucial conditions of the climate.

 Rescue Operation in Wayanad, Kerala | Photo Credit - PTI

On 30th July 2024, people in Kerala's Wayanad district, faced terrible landslides due to heavy rainfall. There was 570 mm of rainfall in the two days leading up to the tragedy. It almost wiped out 5 to 6 villages and took the lives of over 380 people, while over one hundred and fifty individuals have been declared missing. . In addition, there were at least 273 injuries. The Kerala government had requested the Centre to send deep search radars to aid in the rescue operations.

A flood-hit area in Imphal, Manipur | Photo Credit - PTI

In Manipur, heavy rainfall has caused massive floods. Over 126,000 people in 255 villages were affected, with five lives lost. Many houses were destroyed and many families had to escape. Rescue efforts included setting up 51 camps and getting help from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the military.

Locals move their belongings on a boat as they move to a safer place during floods, in Darrang, Assam | Photo Credit - PTI

Assam is also facing horrific situations due to annual flooding from the Brahmaputra River, which is ruining crops and lives. Recently, the Assam Rifles managed to rescue over 2,500 people, but several rivers are still overflowing in the state. In July, seasonal monsoon rains brought floods and landslides, resulting in at least 79 deaths and displacing thousands. Additionally, over 150 animals, including rare species like the one-horned rhinoceros, drowned in the state's Kaziranga National Park.

Golden fields and a smile used to be brought by the rain. The water falling from the sky is now falling from the eyes. It has turned it into water of woe that claims lives without hesitation. Even though human activities have played a significant role in this extreme climate change, there is still hope for improvement. This loss of life, broken homes and displacement of thousands gives us an urgent call for climate action and readiness strategies.

Written by Sarthak Kadam

Sarthak wrote this article as a participant of the Media-Makers Fellowship's July'24 cohort.