Steve Taylor, Deborah Booth and Rohit Irudayarajan, ‘Diasporic engagement and the climate crisis in Kerala: inclusive disaster relief and reconstruction?’, South Asian Diaspora, Taylor and Francis, Vol 15, 2023.
The State of Kerala has long been recognised for its progressive development index. The much acclaimed ‘Kerala model’ has enabled affordable healthcare, accessible and quality education, led to the reduction of poverty and made significant strides in gender equality. On top of the State’s welfare policies, such development was considerably aided by the remittances sent to the State by its migrant population who had emigrated primarily to the Gulf countries for better opportunities. The Kerala NRI or the ‘pravasi’ has remained a perennial figure in Kerala’s imagination of itself.
However, the State is not without its challenges. Kerala has been highlighted as a hotspot which is vulnerable to climate change. Its varied geographical features make it prone to natural disasters like floods, cyclones and landslides. The July-August 2018 floods were witness to the fact. The onset of heavy rainfall led to the State getting devastatingly flooded. According to the India Meteorological Department, Kerala received 2346.6 mm of rainfall from June 1, 2018, to August 19, 2018, in contrast to an expected 1649.5 mm of rainfall. This rainfall was about 42% above the expected rate. Over 450 people lost their lives in the floods and about 1.4 million people were displaced. Reconstruction efforts following the devastation are still going on in many parts of the State.
