Kerala flood victim dials 'Didi Ke Bolo' helpline, gets help

Kolkata: 'Didi Ke Bolo' helpline number launched by Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee once again turned rescuer for those who were trapped in Kerala floods.

Bapan Das, a resident of Katwa in East Burdwan, was stuck in a house along with 14 others in the floods at Kizhur in Kerala. Das called up the toll free number and shared his ordeal. The caller informed that he was trapped in Kizhur along with others. He said there was no electricity or transportation. The caller requested for immediate assistance and food supplies.

He also mentioned that all the means of transport were suspended due to heavy rains. The matter was immediately raised with the disaster management officials of the state government, who contacted their counterparts in the Kerala government.

During the call, all the relevant information was collected and it were passed to the disaster management department along with the phone number and location of the victim.

Prodded by the Bengal government, the rescue team in Kerala started searching operation. Due to heavy rainfall and bad weather they found it difficult to trace their location.

After a prolonged search operation, the rescue team finally spotted the location. Disaster management department in Kerala confirmed that the victims have been rescued and are safe in a hotel in Karwar. They have been given food and water. The victim will soon be brought back to the city after the situation improves.

In a similar incident, some residents who were trapped in the Karnataka flood were rescued by the Karnataka government after they contacted Didi Ke Bolo toll-free number.

The helpline number got a call from a person in South 24- Parganas, who claimed that some members of his family were stuck in their residence at Kaida township, near Karwa city due to floods.

The caller mentioned that his sister and brother-in- law were in Karnataka and were hit by the floods. State government took up the matter with Karnataka government and informed the whereabouts of the family, as per description provided by the caller. The victims were finally rescued.