Kerala rains: Gushing waters wash away a home and a dream

Devastated and clueless, Mohammed and his family have now sought shelter at the relief camp opened by the Revenue Department in Mylallampara.

Image for representational purpose only (EPS | Manu R Mavelil)

MATTIKKUNNU: Though it was raining heavily for the past three days in Puthuppadi panchayat in Kozhikode district, Muhammed Kalladikkunnu, a resident of Mattikkunnu, never thought the gushing water from the hills would sweep away his dreams and leave him and family in dire straits overnight.

A daily wage labourer, the only dream Mohammed had cherished was to build a small house. And he built one with all his savings. A very happy man, he was busy making arrangements for the housewarming which was supposed to be held on August 17. But all his plans turned topsy-turvy when multiple landslides triggered by the heavy rain on Wednesday night swept away his plot and the dream house.

Devastated and clueless, Mohammed and his family have now sought shelter at the relief camp opened by the Revenue Department in Mylallampara. “It all happened within a flash of a second. It was around 11 pm on Wednesday. The water took with it all I had. But I am thankful to God as the gushing mud and water spared my family. We all escaped without even a small injury,” Mohammed said.

“It was raining at 10 pm. It had been continuously raining for the past few days. I woke up from my bed as I felt restless. I felt something terrible was going to happen and suddenly asked my wife Sainaba to call our daughter Shahina to move to the house of our relative. There were six members at our house, including my daughter’s husband Mujeeb and their two kids,” said Muhammed, his eyes filled. An the worst thing happened just thirty minutes after we moved out of the house, he added. “I heard a huge rumbling sound. I knew it was a landslip. But I never thought it would take away my home. And it left nothing in its way,” he said.