After a devastating landslide in India’s Kerala state killed at least 160 people and displaced hundreds, UAE expats and businesses are stepping up to provide much-needed relief.
Dubai resident Shabna Ibrahim, originally from Wayanad, shared that her family is deeply involved in relief efforts. “My brother and his wife, both Ayurveda doctors, are assisting medical teams in rescue operations,” she said. “They are verifying bodies and treating the injured, while my parents have opened our home to those displaced by the landslide.”
Shajahan Kuttiyath, another Wayanad native who lost nearly 100 family members in the disaster, is coordinating relief efforts with friends. “People need to start from scratch and will need a lot of help,” he said. “We are collaborating with local associations to understand and address the immediate needs of the affected community.”
The landslide, which struck Wayanad on Tuesday, has resulted in the collapse of the only bridge connecting the village of Chooralmala to the rest of the district, complicating relief efforts. Efforts to construct a temporary bridge are ongoing.
Prominent UAE-based businessmen have also pledged financial support to the Kerala government. MA Yusuff Ali, Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu Group, and B. Ravi Pillai, Chairman of the RP Group, have each donated approximately Dh2 million to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman of VPS Healthcare, has offered the expertise of their subsidiary, Prometheus Medical International’s mountain rescue team, to assist in rescue operations. In an email to the Chief Minister of Kerala, he wrote, “We are ready to deploy our team to the affected area as soon as possible.”
Aster DM Healthcare is contributing to the relief efforts through multiple channels. Dr. Moopen’s Medical College, formerly DM Wayanad Institute of Medical Sciences, is treating the injured in coordination with government hospitals and Public Health Centres. “Our Aster volunteers have mobilised a team and a mobile medical unit to attend to the wounded,” said Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman of Aster DM Healthcare. The team is also supplying water, food, and other essentials to support the National Disaster Response Force.
Aster DM Healthcare has donated approximately Dh500,000 to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and an additional Dh1 million towards rebuilding homes for the displaced. Dr. Moopen also confirmed that several Aster employees are missing due to the landslide. “We remain resolute in our efforts to locate and bring all of them home safely,” he said. “To those affected employees, Aster has extended full support to them and their families by providing relief materials, first aid, and medical services.”