A River in Flood

Last year I was in Calcutta during the summer. As the rainy season drew near, it started raining heavily for many days on end. So the water level in the river Ganga began to rise and soon it was in flood. Soon the water began to overflow the banks. When we heard of the flood, we, under the organization of a voluntary social welfare society 'Help', planned to visit the flooded villages. It was terrible. There was water everywhere. The current was strong. Men and animals struggled between life and death. Many things were seen floating in the water. Live snakes were seen being washed away. Here and there we could see the carcasses on the surface of the water. The water seemed to be devouring all. Some villagers climbed up the trees to save their lives but they had nothing to eat or drink. Their condition was very miserable. We tried hard and threw some packets of food from the helicopter and even rescued some people. The flood caused great havoc. Many houses had collapsed and many people became homeless. A large number of trees were uprooted. Traffic remained dislocated for weeks together. Crops were completely destroyed. As the means of communication were all underwater, therefore access was possible only by boats. Many people met a watery grave. 

After three days, the flood began to subside. The people felt relieved. The government also rose to the occasion and began to help the people. Loans were given to the victims for rebuilding their houses and purchasing cattle. 

Many rich people donated large sums of money. The homeless were given temporary accommodation in schools, dharmshalas, etc. As an epidemic was feared, preventive measures were taken and people were inoculated against cholera.

The victims could have started a normal life again only after two or three months. But they will never be able to forget the hardships they had to experience.