Kerala (India), 08/30/2018, Srs. of India.- Monsoon rain is a yearly feature in the region of Kerala. Every year from the beginning of June till the middle of August Kerala experiences heavy rain falls. But this year it was heaver. The monsoon rainfall on the mid evening of August 8 was so great that it resulted filling the dams to capacity. In the first 24 hours of rainfall the state received 310mm (12inches) of rain. Almost all the dams have been opened since the water level has been close to overflow level, flooding local low-lying areas, rivers and canals.
For the first time in the state’s history, 35 of its 42 dams have been opened. Gradual letting out of the water from the dams was necessary as the dams were on bursting point. In the normal circumstances the rivers are able to handle the water of the monsoon rains. Added to the heavy rainfall, the water let out from the dams flooded almost the whole of the state in no time. Except Kasargod, Trivandrum and Kollam all the other districts were affected by the flood.
The State was placed in a red alert as a result of the intense flooding. People were forced to leave their homes with no time to carry anything but what they wore. Those who were hesitant to leave had to be rescued by helicopters, boats and so on as the houses were flooded up to 10-12 feet. Those who tried to take shelter in the upper floors had no way to escape. Around 4-5 km surrounding the rivers were the most affected. The rush of water pushed from the dams flowed into the homes, roads and towns. The heavy rainfall caused landslides in the mountain areas and high ranges. Many families were buried under the landslides along with their homes.
Thousands of relief Camps have been opened at various locations to accommodate the flood victims. It is estimated that 1,028,073 people have found shelter in such camps. The flooding has affected hundreds of villages, destroyed an estimated 10,000 km (6,200 mi) of roads and thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed. As soon as the water started to rise around the house our sisters of Varadium Community along with the people of Papa nagar moved to the camp which was set up in the School in Varadium. Later Sisters were transferred to the Convent of Charity sisters where they stayed until water went down.
Our Sisters in Kuttikad were not directly affected by the flood. But they were isolated having no electricity, network, transportation, etc. In the words of Sr. Reena Kanivayalil:- “It was on the eve of Independence Day we heard the red alert around Kuttikad, Pariyaram that the water level in Chalakudy River is going to come up as they are going to open Sholayar and Peringalkutth Dams. In Pariyaram already a relief camp had finished and they were getting back to their normal life. Hearing the news again people started rushing back to the camps. Every minute the water level was rising. The villages around the Chalakudy river were under water for over 4 days, churches, convents, hospitals, homes for the disabled and so on were no exception”.
Rescue camps were opened in the Schools, Parish halls, churches around this area from 14th evening onwards. Water was coming higher and higher each minute and it continued till 17th morning. Many people ran away from their homes just to save their lives. All that they left behind was carried away by the water. We lost electricity, network, transportation etc. Self initiated rescue operators ran to save lives at the risk of their own lives. People were carried in boats and on shoulders etc. The fishermen from the coastal areas were the first ones to come in to rescue people who were stranded in their homes. As they were able to go through between the trees and the gates with their smaller boats and canoes they saved millions of people, children, aged, pregnant women and sick and others who had no other way. The gratitude of the people to these life-savers has no bound. The Army, the coast guards, local, regional and state level government officials worked day and night to organize the rescue operations. The part the youth and other volunteers played in the rescue operations and service to the people in the rescue camps truly commendable. No lives around this area were lost. People kept on praying and we too joined them with chain rosary and adoration and vigil prayers.
People were in tears, having lost all that they saved in a life span. In camps, we could see all the kinds of people young and old, rich and poor, pregnant ladies bed ridden patients, sick people etc. The service the Church has offered in this crisis is enormous but no news of this is reported by the news channels. As the water went down, the parish community gathered volunteers and went around to clean the houses filled with dirt and mud and many of us from our community too joined in all the works that we could do specially to clean the houses. Everyone is joining hands to clean, so that nothing worse may happen as sickness and loss of lives. Once the water retreated, it was the time to face the aftermaths of the fury of the flood. Sr. Shincy Joseph adds: “The situation of Kuttikad, Poovathingal, Pariyaram & Chalakudy was really disastrous. People lost most of their things .Many houses were filled with water. Everything was pushed out from their houses. It looked like it was in Noah’s time. All the houses were filled with mud, snakes, all other creatures on the road & rivers we see the dead animals. Everything is floating in the water. No vehicle to travel. No diesel, no petrol, lacking rice, grains; cloths, everything ruined in the water, When they ran for life they took nothing. It looks like the end of the world is near.”
All the shops were getting ready for Bhakri Id and Onam, the feasts of the Muslims and Hindus alike. Every shop, medical, grocery, fabrics all of them were under water. And everything ruined. Smaller houses are completely washed out. In better houses, all that they had were ruined in the water. Some areas the roads are so badly affected, either by flood or landslide, it will take a long time before they can be used for transportation. Many of our sisters’ families are also severely affected by the flood. Now it is time for cleaning up the mess and to bring back the normal life. But it will take some time before the people are able to get back to their own feet. Our sisters in Kuttikad and Varadium are involved in the care for the people in the camp and cleaning the houses of the flood victims.
