Seawater entered several hutments in Manalmedu after a high tide partially breached the sea walls along the coastline.
Around 42 families have been affected. The families, living here for the past three decades, said such seawater intrusion was unprecedented.
M. Bakar (30) said that for the past two days, water had inundated their homes.
“This morning, seawater flooded our residence. We ran out of our homes in total panic”.
J. Sivakumar (28) said, “I was in town when I received a call from my wife about the flooding and immediately rushed home. To my agony, I found our entire belongings submerged. Household articles, including a TV set, utensils, dresses and cot were submerged.”
S. Amudha (51), who lives here for the last three decades, said that the last time they lost everything to the fury of the sea was during cyclones ‘Thane’ and ‘Nisha.’
“We were accommodated in community halls or other such places whenever disaster struck. We have been fighting for years to get an alternative housing, but there has been no response from the authorities,” said M. Mani.
