Pathanamthitta, Aug 7 (IANS) Even as rescue and relief efforts continue for flood-hit families across Kerala, a parallel humanitarian mission is underway to save thousands of stranded animals in Pathanamthitta, one of the state's worst-affected districts.
Humane World for Animals India, has launched an emergency relief operation in Pathanamthitta, where days of incessant rain and widespread flooding have left livestock and companion animals struggling for survival.
Working in coordination with the Kerala Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, the organisation has begun distributing emergency fodder and veterinary supplies.
Around 20 tonnes of dry animal feed will be supplied to flood-affected areas, while veterinary teams will provide on-the-spot treatment and medicines for injured and sick animals.
According to preliminary estimates, flooding has severely affected more than 10 villages in Pathanamthitta district, impacting more than 1,500 cattle and other large animals.
The relief operation is expected to benefit more than 2,500 animals, including goats and community dogs.
Pathanamthitta, a district dotted with homesteads where livestock forms an important source of household income, has been among the worst affected by the current spell of monsoon rains.
Large stretches remain submerged, forcing many families to move to relief camps while leaving behind cattle and other animals in inundated sheds.
"The situation is far worse than we anticipated," said Praveen Suresh, Manager of the Disaster Response Team at Humane World for Animals India.
"In several places, floodwaters remain waist-deep, and in some areas nearly six feet high. Animals are stranded on roads or standing in stagnant water with nowhere to go. Continued rainfall will only worsen their condition."
Residents told relief workers that although seasonal flooding is common, they had not witnessed inundation of this scale since the devastating 2018 floods.
Unlike previous years, when floodwaters receded within a day or two, many villages have remained underwater for nearly five days.
Humane World for Animals India has previously undertaken similar animal rescue and relief operations during floods in Assam, Maharashtra, Punjab and Kerala, assisting both vulnerable communities and the animals that sustain their livelihoods.
--IANS
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