Chennai: During the recent rains in Tamil Nadu from December 17-19, members of the Muslim community converted around 50 Mosques in the Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts into relief camps to shelter flood-hit victims from all religions mostly Hindus.
In a rare gesture of communal harmony, when the torrent rains flooded the homes of many humans, members of the Muslim community opened the gates of their mosques.
Around 1000 people took shelter in the mosques at Paatapaththu near Tirunelveli town alone. The numbers could be much higher if all the mosques are taken into consideration, he said. Around 30 of the 150 mosques were converted into relief centers in the Thoothukudi district alone, said Mohammad Ghani of the SDPI, to the media.
During the four days, no prayers were held in the mosque because the prayer hall was occupied by the flood-hit victims. Many Muslim volunteers went to the marooned areas risking their lives to rescue the stranded victims and bring them into the mosques.
The flood hot victims were served hot food thrice a day, while children were served hot milk bread and biscuits. Despite the hardship faced due to incessant rains, the volunteers prepared the food in the mosque premises and served it hot. The Muslim volunteers also provided medicines to those who were sick and distributed clothes and blankets all free of cost.
‘We have served Biryani to the people staying in the mosques at the NGO colony,’ said Nizam Mama, a volunteer.
The Muslim volunteers also provided food packets to many students who were stranded in the hostels and coaching centers in the vicinity free of cost.
A volunteer, who wanted to remain anonymous thanked ‘Allah’ for providing him with such an opportunity, and said “Though such a situation may never get repeated, as a Muslim I feel proud to serve humanity, irrespective of their religion.”
Three districts of southern Tamil Nadu, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari districts saw ‘exceptionally’ heavy rainfall during December 17–19. These districts had received about 100 percent or more surplus rain during these three days over the previous week December 6 – 13, 2023. 
