Good Samaritan launches FB page to help rain-hit Chennaiites

Chennai has been bearing the brunt of the rain gods for over a week. Things have turned from bad to worse in the past two days and no amount of flood relief work by the government is proving to be adequate. In such dire times, some Chennaiites have taken things into their own hands.

A Facebook page `Chennai Rain Relief 2015’ was launched on Sunday calling out for contributions to relief efforts across the city. This initiative is the brain child of Iyyappan Subrama niam and volunteers at the Arun odayam trust.

The move is aimed at mobilising grocery, vegetables and cooking oil and providing cooked food in regions which have been displaced by rains. They distributed sambar rice to 600-700 slum residents of Kolathr on Saturday and Sunday who were marooned due to waterlogging.

Read | Rain continues to batter Tamil Nadu, disaster response teams deployed

“When I visited the slums near my house on Saturday, they told me that they don’t need clothes, but food. Food is essential for survival,” says Iyyappan.

Citizens have responded quickly to the call on social media, with the number of likes on the Facebook page going up 950 in less than 2 days.

“We urging people to donate groceries and food items instead of cash. What we primarily need is willing volunteers,” says Iyyappan.

Citizens also pooled in clothes for the homeless at flooded areas in Chetpet and Harrington road, mobilising resources through the page.

Volunteers who are willing to arrange the grocery or vegetables can contact Iyyappan on 9444915803.

Floods have claimed over 59 lives in Tamil Nadu this week. Chief minister Jayalalithaa has offered her condolences to the bereaved and announced four lakh rupees from the Disaster Relief Fund to each family.