The floods that hit Kerala are said to be the worst in the state this century and probably the worst in the country. The floods left more than 300 people dead and resulted in massive destruction of property. But one aspect of any natural calamity which is probably not given much thought is the loss of lives of pets and livestock. When there is panic as a result of a natural calamity people, tend to move to safe places in quick time leaving behind their pets and other domesticated animals which ultimately fall prey to the to the destruction caused. Spare a thought for the thousands of pet animals, mostly dogs and cats and the cattle that must have perished in the floods in Kerala. Even wild animals will have met the same fate. Many endangered species could have been lost forever. Kerala has a vast forest cover and hence home to many animals and birds. There have been pictures posted on the social media of how some people carried their pet animals along with them to safety. A video doing the rounds also shows how the rescuers were transporting dogs, which were tied in the houses, to safety in their boats. These were the lucky ones who were saved while thousands may have perished.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
