CHENGANNUR: Abdul Jawad is more than a hero to residents of Chengannur. When the floodwaters steadily rose around him, this 29-year-old civil police officer from Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district wasted no time pondering about the consequences before jumping into the gushing waters to come to the rescue of his fellowmen. An expert swimmer, Abdul braved the strongest of currents as the Pampa overflowed in full fury, to rescue people stuck in the deluge.
“The experiences were both memorable and dreadful. After Independence Day celebrations at our camp last year, we were all set to return home when I got a call from a senior officer ordering me to stay back. I was with the Rapid Response and Rescue Force (RRRF), and we were split into teams, which were diverted to various flood-affected areas,” said Abdul.
By the time Abdul’s team reached their designated area, the Varattar, a tributary of the Pampa, had overflowed and flooded Kallissery, Mangalam and Edanadu in Chengannur.
“We were a team of five, including Vishnu Vijayan, another officer. On receiving distress calls from residents, we travelled on the Kallissery-Mangalam route, where over 10 families were trapped in their houses as the water kept rising steadily and swiftly. In one of the houses where I went to rescue a trapped family, though around 50 m away from the river, the water was about 5 ft from the ground. I was holding on to a platform with a rope so that we could enter the house and rescue them. As I entered their yard towing the platform, I fell into a well, hitting my back against its wall. I thought I would die, but my life jacket kept me afloat and saved my life,” said Abdul.
He remembers the strong water currents, which would swiftly wash away anyone who lost their balance during rescue efforts. Abdul shared a dreadful experience that he went through in the midst of rescue efforts. He was forced to drink water on which the carcass of a dog was floating.
“Though water was gushing everywhere, it was very difficult to get water to drink. We were constantly at the site, either coordinating rescue boats or rescuing people. While waiting for the boats which had gone to supply food to marooned families, I felt very thirsty. I had no option but to drink some water from an area which I thought was clear of debris. It was only after drinking the water that I saw the floating carcass,” said Abdul. It was a remarkable team effort, he added.