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UAE: Volunteers and well-wishers step up to rescue residents from flash floods – News

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They also helped them clean up flooded houses



By SM Ayaz Zakir

Posted: Friday, August 12, 2022 at 9:05 am

On July 27, heavy rains ravaged the country, flooding houses and trapping residents.

On that fateful night in Kalba, a group of people went into action to help all those trapped.

“Heavy rain started at 8pm. We thought it was a regular annual rainfall. However, the rain kept falling and water started to enter homes. We knew it would not stop,” said Abdul Samad, a social worker and Kalba resident.

The well-wishers also helped residents clean up their homes after floodwaters inundated most of the homes in the area.

By midnight, he added, they understood they had to move elsewhere to be safe.

When residents left their houses and moved to a safer place, it was difficult for them to walk on the streets, which were flooded. “We have to encourage them to come out and take them to a higher level,” Abdul Samad said.

The resident soon found rescue teams from various government agencies. “The army and rescuers are on alert and we are helping people get to military vehicles,” Abdul Samad said.

Their families were moved to Sharjah and other safe places, social workers said. “We’ve been there to help people around us and haven’t slept all night,” Abdul Samad said.

Many residents who lived on the upper floors stayed. Volunteers ensure breakfast, lunch and dinner are served on time. “We took food from restaurants that were not affected by the floods and distributed it to residents. People were even trapped in labor camps, and with the support of the authorities, we had to deliver food for them,” said Mu, another social worker. Lali Dharan said.

This went on for days and they were on the street helping anyone they met.

For the residents of Kalba, the worst is yet to come. “The water subsided after two days, but our house was a mess,” Muralidharan said.

Many of them returned home only to find that everything was ruined. “Residents were dismayed to find their homes damaged, with most of their furniture and electronics destroyed,” Muraliharan said.

Social workers left no stone unturned and did their best to restore normalcy in the area.

“We started it, but we want to end it before we get back to normal,” Muralidharan exclaimed.

Social workers are now tasked with cleaning houses and distributing food until normalcy is restored.

“We put together a two-person team and started helping to clear houses that were damaged in the flash floods. Many of them have not been cleared yet, and we will clear them as soon as possible,” Abdul Samad said.

Surprisingly, most of these social workers haven’t cleaned their houses yet.

“I’ll be cleaning my house soon. My wife keeps complaining that you’ve cleaned a lot of houses besides us,” Muralidharan revealed.

private sector help

Social workers say they have received tremendous help from Aster Hospital.

Some doctors were dispatched to check on the physical and mental health of residents affected by the flash floods.

“Doctors from Aster Hospital are ready to help people and rescue them,” Abdul Samad said.

“They even helped us distribute food and necessities throughout the town,” Muralidharan said.

Aster volunteers contributed to relief efforts and organized responses to help those affected. Manoj Alex and his family are among the many people in Kalba who have received much-needed help from Aster volunteers.

That night, Alex’s house was affected by flooding. It’s full of dirt and mud.

He is currently unemployed, has three children to take care of, and his wife is the sole breadwinner for the family.

The volunteers heard his cries for help and were tasked with cleaning up his home. Up to 10 Aster volunteers from Dubai and 5 volunteers from the Fujairah Aster Clinics team started work.

Volunteers worked tirelessly to remove all debris and grime, cleaned all rooms, restrooms, kitchens and halls, and thoroughly sanitized the house.

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