ALAPPUZHA: The horror of the experience is still visible in Pramod’s eyes. As water level rose, he and his family moved to the roof top thinking that it would be over in a few days. “I, along with my wife, two children and aged parents stayed on the rooftop of my houses at North Pandanad for three days. The water started to rise by Wednesday morning. Then, we thought the water level would come down by evening or by the next day.
Every year during monsoon, water level rises in Pampa and recedes after a few days. But this time, the water reached above the sunshade of my house and we had to stay on the roof. Roof truss helped keep the rain away. But we were running out of water and food. By the grace of God, a rescue team came to our house and shifted us to a relief camp set up at Arattupuzha CSI Church by Friday evening,” said T Pramod of Thundiyil house, Pandand. He is not alone.
The situation in the locality is so grim that no house has escaped the flood fury. What worsened the situation was people’s decision to stay put in their houses thinking that water would recede as fast as it rose. “Around 2 to 2.5 lakh people are stranded in houses in Pandanad, Thiruvanvandoor, Thriperumthura, Mannar and other panchayats in the Chengannur taluk. We have been asking the Navy for help to airlift people. But they were not serious in their response.
By Saturday morning, water has started to enter into new areas like Cheriyanad, Venmony and Ala. Immediate attention of the government and armed forces is needed to save the life of people here,” said Chengannur MLA Saji. Navy and other paramilitary forces are actively engaged in the rescue operations in the taluk. However, they are unable to reach to the interior areas. With Pampa overflowing, Mulakkuzha, Thiruvanvandoor, Mannar, Budhanoor, Veeyapuram, Edathua, Cheruthana, Karuvatta and other panchayats have been inundated. More than 50 fishing boats, brought from Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, have also been pressed into rescue operation.