The Balasore train accident has shocked the nation. At the time of writing, 230 people have been confirmed dead. More than 900 individuals have been injured. The tragedy of unspeakable proportions has moved the residents of Odisha. Whoever is in a position to help in whatever way is coming forward to offer voluntary assistance.
Odisha's Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena told a news agency that they have been receiving hundreds of requests from people offering to voluntarily donate blood. "I am getting requests from many places. Local residents have been providing a lot of assistance to our rescue professionals," he added. NDRF, ODRAF and other rescue teams have been on the ground.
The recent Mollywood blockbuster '2018' narrated the inspiring tale of boatmen and other civilians going out of their way to help the Army in rescue operations. The film has been termed a masterpiece for portraying something moving. What is happening in Odisha is reminiscent of what happened during the fearsome Kerala floods of 2018.
A Twitter user said that during the Uttarakhand floods of 2013, a similar groundswell of voluntary assistance was on display. "This is how people on the ground behave in case of a tragedy. This reminds me of Uttarakhand Tragedy in 2013 when people volunteered before any help was reached," wrote Shrrin G.
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