THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 10 houses in the Pozhiyoor coastal area were damaged following heavy sea erosion on Monday night. Of the ten houses, six were fully destroyed while four were partially damaged, as per the reports available from local fishermen and the Pozhiyoor panchayat.
A total of 39 families were evicted from the coastal area due to possible sea erosion in the coming days. Twelve families were shifted to the relief camp of Pozhiyoor UP School, while others were shifted to their relatives’ houses.
Around 1 km of the coastal area from Kollemcode to Neerody in Tamil Nadu, which is very close to Pozhiyoor at the border, has been washed away in the sea attack. According to a local fisherman, Alocyus, the sea erosion started three days ago and intensified on Monday. “When the sea erosion started, we could not move swiftly, so several things kept in the houses were washed away.
Though sea erosion is a regular affair here, the intensity of the phenomenon was much higher this time. Even the main road connecting Paruthiyur and Thekkekollamcode fully collapsed. The state government should take steps to address our grievances,” he said.
Panchayat ward member Geetha Suresh said all the families have been safely relocated to the camps and other houses. “There are no casualties. However, the sea erosion was so strong that no one could stay in the area,” she said.
Sea erosion lashed the region last November. The fisherfolk alleged that the recurring disaster is caused because of the 1-km breakwater constructed by the Tamil Nadu government near Neerody. Since then, they have been demanding that sea walls be built in the region to protect the shore from erosion.