As the worst in this century floods begins to recede in the state of Kerala after killing nearly 400 people and displacing nearly a million people from their home places, Indian health authorities are concerned about spread of viral diseases and are preparing defense mechanism against the spread of such disease. Apart from that authorities are also busy cleaning up essential areas.

As per the estimates by Monday, the total deaths reported in the state of Kerala due to the floods is 370 and number of people displaced went upwards up to a million.

Worst floods and unanticipated huge landslides were the result of incessant rains since August 8 in the region, being termed as the worst to be seen in a century.

According to the officials working there, several dozens of people are still missing and hundreds of thousands are under the organized makeshift relief camps by authorities and NGOs.

Apart from all these issues faced by the people there, another major issue is the shortage of medicine and clean drinking water for the survivors of the Kerala flood.

“The biggest challenges immediately ahead are cleaning of the flood-hit houses, rehabilitation, and prevention of water-borne diseases,” said Mahesh P, a village-level officer from Rayamangalam, some 45km from Kerala’s financial capital of Kochi.

According to the officials, the huge number of people gathering taking shelter there has increased greater chances of the disease spread.

“When you have more than three quarters of a million people in temporary camps like this one, disease is always a risk,” a journalist said.

“You have lots of people in a small space, and without the things they would normally have at home, like clean water and regular food.”

On Monday, the Met Department forecasted light to moderate rain in the state of Kerala building hopes for the rescue workers who were finding it very hard due to the rising waters and frequent mudslides in their way to help tens of thousands of stranded villagers.

The June-September rainfall in the southern state for the monsoon season has been over 40 percent higher than average normal. The state was hit by torrential rain over the last 10 days compelling authorities to take immediate decisions regarding dozens of full dams and releasing the water.

“The state was preparing to battle any outbreak of diseases in the relief camps and preventive medicines were being distributed”, Anil Vasudevan, who handles disaster management at Kerala’s health department.

He said that villagers there had put up there efforts in unity to rescue people and prevent any kind of bigger disaster.

“The bulk of the credit for the rescue goes to the ordinary citizens. The army, the navy, the local authorities assisted them,” Mahesh said.

“The flood has bonded the people like never before, with people sharing whatever they had.”

According to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, there was no case of food shortage in the whole of the state due to the fact that the traders have all stocked up ahead of Onam. The festival is the biggest one which was due to be celebrated on August 25.

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