Meet Deepa Joseph, Kerala's First Female Ambulance Driver Serving Amid Landslide

Deepa Joseph, one of the first women ambulance drivers in Kerala, had taken a break from her career after a devastating personal tragedy; she was suffering from depression after losing her teenage daughter to blood cancer. However, amid the fatal landslides in Wayanad, the Kozhikode native resumed her duty to serve the people in need. Putting her personal grief aside, Joseph has been selflessly working to transport the injured or deceased victims of the tragic calamity. Her presence and commitment to her duty have become a beacon of hope for many affected by the landslides.

Deepa Joseph's Story

In 2020, Deepa Joseph lost her job as a college bus driver during the COVID-19 pandemic. She started working as an ambulance driver to make ends meet, becoming one of the first women from Kerala in the profession. She told Asian News International in 2020, “Not many jobs [were] available due to the pandemic. I took up this job because I was facing a financial crisis.” 

Joseph's decision to step into a service that was crucial during the pandemic showcased her drive to make a difference and her ability to adapt to challenging situations. She became a well-known face among the frontline workers and volunteers who worked tirelessly to safeguard lives during the pandemic and lockdowns. She continued to serve the people even when normalcy was resumed.

The loss of her daughter forced her to step away from driving for some time. However, as the landslides in Wayanad erupted, leaving hundreds dead and several others injured or displaced, Joseph decided to help the people once again. She is now providing critical assistance to people in the affected regions, playing a crucial role in the recovery efforts.

Joseph told the Press Trust of India about the challenges she has faced and the distressing sights she has witnessed amid the calamity. "For one or two days, we saw people who were not ready to believe that their beloved was dead. But in the days that followed, the same people came to the morgue, praying that the bodies recovered should be those of their dear ones."

She expressed how despite her prior experience, the situation in the landslide-struck regions of Meppadi, Mundakkai, and Chooralmala have been shocking. "I have taken bodies that are several days old and highly decomposed. But in Wayanad, the relatives had to identify the bodies just by looking at a severed finger or a severed limb. It was more than what I could take."

Joseph, who had initially planned on volunteering only for a day, recalled that the magnitude of the situation made her stay for many more days. "The whole morgue was filled with the stench of decayed bodies. The gases emanating from the bodies blurred our vision. Now the ambulances from other districts have gone back, and I would also go back shortly." 

Deepa Joseph saw the heartwrenching sights of people losing their loved ones and their homes, some staying in relief camps for many days with no certainty of when they would be returning home. These experiences deeply impacted her, yet she remains steadfast in her mission to assist. "I am not working now but I want to get back to driving ambulances soon," she said.