Musings on news and views in a crisis

So, we are planning our drive to Tellicherry. The rains are definitely going to make the journey difficult. We read newspaper reports about gushing rivers, overflowing reservoirs, broken bridges and blocked ghat roads. 

Just as we are driving down the Ooty - Gudalur road, my phone beeps and I see a WhatsApp message from my sardarji neighbour, who is the first to know and spread every news that matters - "landslide on Ooty - Gudalur road!" I am a bit shaken, don't want to break a bad news and so we carry on our drive.....yes, there are signs of a landslide but the efficient authorities have cleared the roads a couple of days ago. His information is from an old WhatsApp message, probably from an earlier rainy season, making its appearance again. 

We take advice from a cousin who suggests the Vythiri route from Sultan's Battery. Someone else asks us to check the ground situation before proceeding any further. Enquiring with locals, we are advised to avoid the said route and instead re-routed to Mananthavady. So, off we go through a maze of roads only to find that they all lead to gushing waters, shoulder height. We call the cousin for help who is annoyed that we did not heed his advice. And, we are left to fend for ourselves. Most people offer help eagerly but rarely based on genuine or real time information. 

Then another text message pops in. This is from Uncleji, enquiring about my family in Kerala. So good of him to think of my relatives, I think to myself. I tell him that I am on my way there. He warns me about the raging flood waters, wants me to change my plans, advising me to take a U-turn right away. I want to tell him that Kerala is a longish state, I am headed for Tellicherry and there is a sea of difference between Cannannore and Chengannur, especially in the context of the deluge.

My younger friends are smart. They believe that it is their right to be helpful, showing off how savvy they are with technology. I see them post location pins on their Facebook timeline - am unable to understand these posts but don't want to ask lest I sound foolish. I soon realise that they pinning locations of individuals who are looking to be rescued from the rising waters. And, in many cases, those individuals have already been rescued. An annoyed Chief Minister of Kerala himself releases a public communication asking people to recheck before asking for help.

Such is our world today! Lots of news to share, lots of ways to share news, lots of people sharing news but need to deal with every piece of communication with utmost care so that one is not carried away or misled.