The deluge has left its scars. Even as life began to limp back to normal on Friday in flooded areas in Kallapu on the outskirts of the city, many returned to their homes only to find several household articles either damaged or soaked. Many people, who had been evacuated on Thursday to safer places, spent the whole of Friday cleaning up their houses or fixing the damaged articles. In several houses, flood water had seeped into refrigerators, computers and other electric and electronic gadgets. Many were not sure whether they would ever be able to use them again.
With the water rising waist-high in many houses, protecting lives was a priority than safeguarding the household articles. “Water rose so fast, we could not wear our chappals,” said Ahmed A., a painter. On Friday, he and three other members of the family were cleaning up the house around noon. Many in his neighbourhood were busy drying their wet cloths or arranging vessels.
Perhaps Abdul Khader bore the brunt of the Netravati more than anybody else. He said two of his refrigerators have broken down while two cots lay damaged. The floods had left behind muck all over the place. His daughters Shaima, a class 8 student in the nearby Government Urdu School and Mumtaz, pursuing Quranic studies, were trying to dry up their rain-soaked books. Among other things drenched in water was a 50-kg rice bag. “I will have to dry them out,” Mr. Khader said.
Rukya Hussain, the lonely elderly woman residing behind the Urdu school, has reconciled to the fact that her cot now had only three legs. A neighbour said, “It is made of plywood. It cannot be repaired”. Ms. Rukya had to clean up the floors and get rid of swarming ants.
Farmer Hendry Fernandes in Adam Kudru was a worried man as he lost half of his banana plantation in the floods. The plants were a key source of revenue for him.
