Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men. The recent floods in Kerala saw many men, even fishermen, from areas far off flooded areas, plunge into neck-deep waters to rescue people from marooned properties. 'Mesh Manoharan,' a professional diver, was one of the rescuers who could be life saviour to many as swollen rivers flooded homes on and away from their banks. He made use of his sporty water-skills and equipment to rescue over 70 people during the calamitous floods even as he escaped chest-deep waters as river-water gushed into his own house.
Manoharan literally crisscrossed the floodwaters day in and out at his native place to rescue people ranging from a 3-month-old baby from Chaliyam to several members of a noble family marooned at the Paliyam Palace at Paravoor! Manoharan, 50, belongs to Chendamangalam, Kerala, where he lives alone at a river-side residence. A professional diver for 19 years, Manoharan's house has the latest equipment for scuba diving, kayaking and deep-water rescue and they came in handy.
Instead of fleeing from the calamity, Manoharan decided to go kayaking through the roads he had only walked or drove through. “I realised the seriousness of the flood situation when I watched the town slowly submerging in the flood. I understood that my place is in need of my water-skills. I kayaked back home and loaded my boat with life jackets, goggles, packets of cookies and a pineapple which I had kept for dinner,” he said.
Manoharan tagged in locals who knew swimming and some fishermen who would dare to venture out into risky areas. “Some people informed us about a mother and her child who were trapped inside a drowning house near the Chaliyam market. When we reached there, I saw fear in the eyes of that young woman who held her 3-month-old baby close to her chest. I managed to make her wear a life jacket. When she hesitated to hand over her baby to me, I had to give her a lecture about my previous experiences of water rescue operations. That cute baby girl was smiling all way to the shore, sitting in my lap. I am sure she enjoyed kayaking with me though her mother was dying of fear,” Manoharan revealed.
Manoharan has served on national water-rescue mission during two major disasters, one among them being the 2011 ship collision of Goan port, in which a cargo ship called MNC 'Chitra' partly submerged after colliding with another vessel MV 'Khajilia-111'. However, the adventurer's rescue bid in Kerala waters was even more challenging.
"Major challenge to carry out the rescue operations during Kerala floods was the unavailability of adequate safety equipment, especially to escape from the attack of reptiles and insects floating freely in water," Manoharan narrated. "To survive on minimum nourishment, to defend the attack of small animals and insects are a few of the basic disaster management skills we should equip our citizens with."
Manoharan supplied bananas and tender coconuts on his kayak to those who were trapped inside households. "I might be charged for this but I admit that I stole some tender coconuts and bananas from roadside to supply the flood victims," he laughed. He also recalled his experience of rescuing 22 people who starved for about two days inside Paliyam Palace. "I reached there based on a phone call. Twenty-two people, belonging to different age groups with different health conditions, were starving on the balcony of that mammoth structure for about two days. I distributed them the tender coconuts I plucked from a coconut palm on my way. Later, I brought them ashore one by one," he said.
He also turned his own house at Chendamangalam ito a rescue camp. He gave asylum to 16 flood victims in his house and fed them with whatever he had collected during his rescue trips. "Disaster management and rescue ops are a part of academics when it comes to scuba diving. We need more expert hands in each part of state to help in such crucial situations," he suggested. According to Manoharan, it is high time state devised project to equip people, at least, those who live besides water bodies, with basic aquatic skills.
The one-man army is now back home after a prolonged, busy week. In a touching note, Manoharan said on his WhatsApp that he put his physical abilities to test during the three days of floods as he survived on a few biscuit packets and drinking water. "I rescued around 70 people in my kayak, fed many and provided relief and soothing to several people," he claimed. " I was bitten by scorpion and every other insect and all these nights I sailed back to my flooded home."
The likes of Manoharan are among the many unsung heroes of the Kerala flood rescue mission. He executed well the concept of "think globally, act locally". This kayaker and licensed scuba-diving instructor works with a water-sports academy at Cherai, Ernakulam.
