Floodwaters Force More Families to Leave Homes in Kuttanad as Water Levels Continue to Rise

Alappuzha: Rising floodwaters have forced more families in Kuttanad to abandon their homes and move to safer locations as water levels remain high for several days, with residents fearing a situation similar to the devastating 2018 floods. "Usually, floodwater reaches only up to the kitchen. We shift cooking to another room and continue staying in the house. But this time, water has been rising continuously for the past three days. Every room is flooded, and the water has crossed the level of the wall tiles. My family had already moved out earlier. Now I too have no option but to leave. Only during the 2018 floods did we witness water levels higher than this," said teacher Payas Thomas Abraham while leaving his home at Mankombu for a relative's house. He said the Gandhi Marg Road has gone under water, forcing many residents in the surrounding areas to relocate to relatives' homes in Changanassery and other places, while others have shifted to relief camps. "Normally, when floodwaters begin to rise, children are first moved to safer places with relatives, while older members remain behind to protect the house. This time, however, the flooding is much more severe, and the water level is not receding. There is also concern over forecasts of more heavy rain in Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts. If the inflow from the eastern regions increases further, the situation could resemble the 2018 floods," he said. With water levels showing little sign of falling, more residents across Mankombu and other parts of Kuttanad are leaving their homes. People are travelling by country boats, tractors, lorries and even on foot through floodwaters to reach the main Road, from where they are proceeding by bus and other vehicles to relatives' homes. Flood-affected residents also expressed concern that even some relief camps are at risk of being inundated.