Battle against time: Thousands rescued, many more still marooned

ALAPPUZHA: Battling heavy rains, which continued to batter Alappuzha on Saturday, rescue teams evacuated thousands of people who were stranded in remote corners of Chengannur and Kuttanad after the overflowing Vembanadu Lake and the Pampa River inundated vast stretches of areas in the region.

The region is going through a grave situation as thousands more remained marooned without food, drinking water and medicines.

Seven deaths were reported in Chengannur on Saturday. Four bodies were found in Pandanadu. As many as 25,000 people were rescued in Kuttanad, while over 2,500 people were moved to relief camps in Chengannur.

The Navy, Air Force, NDRF personnel and fishermen conducted rescue operations in helicopters and hundreds of fishing and rescue boats. The people who were rescued in Chengannur said there were many more awaiting evacuations in regions such as Edanad, Pandanadu, Thiruvanvandoor and Nakkada. Making matters worse, flood waters started entering Venmoni, Ala and Cheriyanadu on Saturday morning.

Over 1,94,074 people have been staying in 678 relief camps in the district.

District police chief S Surendran said over 6,000 people were rescued in two days in Chengannur. He claimed rescue team could reach most of the regions in Chengannur and supplied food to stranded people.

He warned against spreading false news about scores of people dying in the area and said people behind such rumours would be arrested.

The water-level had started to go up in Kuttanad drastically. With the Vembanadu Lake overflowing, floodwater had started to enter even Alappuzha town.

Sub-collector Krishna Teja said all those stranded in Kuttanad will be evacuated soon. “We could reach most of the areas, except for some pockets. We will reach those regions soon,” he said.

The district administration has directed irrigation officials to deepen the canals in Alappuzha town to drain the rising waters.

Chengannur MLA Saji Cherian had said earlier in the day that over 2.5 lakh people in Chengannur have been staying without food and medicines for the past five days. “Ten of thousands of people have been battling for their lives in Chengannur as rescue teams have not been able to reach them,” he said. Meanwhile, the district administration, at the behest of PWD minister G Sudhakaran, has arrested a houseboat owner, who refused to spare his boats for rescue operations. It seized at least 30 private boats anchored on Vembanadu Lake to use them for rescue operations. Sudhakaran said the licences of boat drivers who refused to provide boats for rescue operations would be cancelled.

Local residents at forefront of rescue in Changanassery

In Changanassery, residents rose to the occasion to rescue and rehabilitate the stranded. Hundreds of people from nearby areas were rescued over the past two days. People from all walks of life irrespective of caste, creed or religion participated in the rescue operation led by Changanassery Social Service Society (CHASS) of the Changanassery diocese. The rescue operations were mainly centred in two places-at the boat jetty and in Alappuzha-Changanassery Road.

People rescued by boats were dropped off at AC Road. They were then picked up from there by trucks and taken to relief camps run by the diocese. Around 30 Torres lorries were pressed into service to rescue people marooned in their homes. The trucks were provided by three construction companies. As many as 26 lorries were provided by a single firm.

Only Torres lorries can ply on the waterlogged AC Road. Expenses on fuel and drivers were met by these companies. Sixty-five trips were made on Friday itself.

Several others, including the elderly and sick, were brought in boats. Those who needed immediate medical care were rushed to hospitals in ambulances.

However, those who were rescued were worried about their belongings back home. “I have lost everything in the floods. I don’t know what is in store for me when I return home,” said Santhamma, a Chambakkulam native. She, along with her sister Sathiamma and daughter expected the water level to recede and when it did not happen they were forced to leave. It took them two hours to reach Changanassery.

Similarly, many other people were reluctant to leave their home.

Jijeesh, a daily wage worker from Veliyanad, was forced to leave when his father’s health deteriorated. “We have come here leaving everything back home. God knows what will happen to our home,” said Jijeesh.