KOCHI: Residents of the Kunjunnikkara and Uliyannoor islands in the Periyar river at Aluva can now stay at their homes without fear. They have a team of Army men for support, camping here at the Uliyannoor LP School, who will rush to them if a crisis emerges. The islands are flood-prone as water will gush to the houses if the water level of Periyar will increase.
During last year’s floods, most of the houses here were submerged. Led by Commander Major Deepak Singh Thakuri, the 75-member team of the 19 Madras regiment from Pangode military camp in Thiruvananthapuram, is equipped with five Stallion trucks, aluminium boats, life jackets, first-aid kits and medicines.
It also consists of experts who can carry out minor repairing works of houses.The Army also conducted a mock drill, here on Monday. They had also visited the low-lying areas in Aluva and has prepared a route map.