Indians in the Emirates were left devastated over the loss of relatives and friends in landslides that killed more than 140 people in southern Kerala.
UAE residents lost entire families when rivers of mud and boulders smashed into their homes as they slept when the first landslide struck at 1am on Tuesday in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
Many have returned to India in the hope of gaining more information about those still listed as missing.
Saneesh Joseph, a businessman in Fujairah, is in touch with a UAE resident who lost several family members.
a Fujairah resident about a UAE resident who lost loved ones in the landslide
“He lost nine households, these families were staying in Mundakaii and Chooralmala towns in Wayanad,” said Mr Joseph, president of Incas, the Indian Cultural and Arts Society of Wayanad in Fujairah.
“The loss is too much to bear. There is nothing left of their homes as this area was the worst hit.
“He is suffering a lot, it’s too difficult to imagine losing not just one family but nine families at once.”
The landslide was described as the worst that Kerala has ever witnessed, according to Pinarayi Vijayan, the state's chief minister.
He told the media that 144 bodies were recovered, 191 people remained missing and more than 5,500 people were rescued from landslide-hit areas.
Listed missing
UAE residents made desperate calls home to check on their families, calling neighbours and state control helplines. Many social workers also had a list of names of the dead and injured in hospitals.
Sajan Varghese, a Sharjah resident, said many UAE residents had returned home hoping relatives had survived.
“My friends are badly affected, their loss is huge because they lost close family,” said Mr Varghese of the Pravasi Wayanad UAE association.
“They had family in three to four homes that are completely washed out. There were more than eight people in one home.
“Many of these houses were below where the landslide started. They are still listed as missing.”
Videos taken by rescue teams and non-government groups show large tracts of land inundated with water, houses uprooted, mud and stones piled away from the landslide site.
Indian army and air force teams removed people in helicopters and secured zip lines to reach people stranded when the sole bridge into Mundakkaii collapsed.
Community support
The community in the UAE is in constant touch with rescue groups back home and plans to offer long-term assistance in medicines, housing, food and grief counselling.
“Many of my friends are with the rescue teams and they are trying to help people who are in deep shock,” said Majeed Maniyodan, a Dubai resident from Wayanad and secretary of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre.
“This happened when people were sleeping and in hospitals, there are sad scenes of children asking for their parents and wives searching for their husbands.
“There are so many people missing and there is so much mud to clear.
“People are still hoping to get news that the missing have been found.”
Apart from families who lived on the hillside, the landslide also swept away makeshift homes of men working in tea plantations and cardamom estates in the area.
India’s armed forces have sent more than 300 military personnel with heavy engineering equipment to move the debris.
Additional columns of the army, navy and helicopters from the Indian Air Force will assist with rescue and relief efforts.
Kerala’s state government has announced a two-day mourning period.
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The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
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Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
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