Reeling under the deluge Aluva faces shortage of essential commodities

KOCHI: Though many persons have returned home from relief camps in Aluva after flood water receded, a host of problems line their way to normalcy.

Cleaning of the mud-filled houses is a herculean task, adding to the woes the UC College area is facing on account of shortage of groceries and essential commodities. For shops are as muddied as houses to be reopened so quickly. Among the returnees, a few went back to the relief camp for food.

“The camp authorities are supplying a kit containing essential commodities, including grocery, to those returning home. In many camps in the Aluva region, this process has been disrupted,” said Babu, a resident of Thadikkakadavu.

Cyril Elias, a resident of Kadooparambu near UC College, echoed the complaint. “Our family also shifted to a relief camp as a precautionary measure and stayed for two days. Though our house was not fully submerged, the groceries in the house were damaged and when we returned on Monday, there was nothing to cook. As the nearby shops were inundated, we have not been able to buy rice and other essential goods. Later, I collected a few vegetables from the Aluva market and managed somehow,” he said.

The relief camp in UC College was opened on August 15. Since there was a sudden influx of victims, it accommodated around 3,000 persons. According to the camp authorities, now there are only around 1,000 persons while the rest have returned.

There are around 2,000 people in various other camps in the locality. While the Kadungalloor and Muppathadam areas are the worst-affected, the Kadungalloor-Aluva Road was severely damaged in the floods.