Situation still grim even as rain subsides in district

Threat of epidemic outbreak looms large; man drowns in Chilavannoor Lake

July 19, 2018 12:53 am | Updated 12:53 am IST - Kochi

(Top) Motorists wading through the waterlogged M.G. Road in the city on Wednesday; and (above) a passenger alights from a bus at the flooded Ravipuram bus stop.

(Top) Motorists wading through the waterlogged M.G. Road in the city on Wednesday; and (above) a passenger alights from a bus at the flooded Ravipuram bus stop.

Even as rain relented somewhat, there seems to be no end to the plight of people in the district with the situation remaining grim in several areas of Thrikkakara Assembly constituency where floodwater remains at precarious levels without any immediate signs of receding.

Threat of an epidemic outbreak looms large with even drinking water contamination getting reported from various places. Despite drop in the density of rainfall, a large number of relief camps continues to be operated by the district administration across the district.

At the last count, the number of camps stood at 53 and their inmates 3,986. New camps are being opened wherever they are necessary. Paravur taluk with 20 relief camps topped the chart in terms of number of camps followed by Kanayannur taluk (12), Muvattupuzha (09), Aluva (06), Kochi (03), Kothamangalam (02) and Kunnathunadu (01).

District Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla inspected the camps and ensured the availability of medicines and doctors on Wednesday. Apart from the service of the District Medical Officer and Supply Officer, camps are also benefiting from the volunteer work of individuals and organisations.

Man drowns

Meanwhile, a man drowned in Chilavannoor Lake on Tuesday night. Subramanian, 45, of Ambelipadam Road near Vyttila, was engaged in fishing when his country boat capsized.

Asha Sanil, district panchayat president and co-chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, said that in view of the lack of enough toilets in schools regularly selected as relief camps, the district panchayat has decided to build as many toilets as needed at least in about 10 such schools in proportion to the number of people who can be accommodated in them. P.T. Thomas, MLA, said that an unprecedented flood situation prevailed in many parts of his constituency at Thrikkakara, which he largely attributed to the indiscriminate filling of natural canals and waterbodies by builders over the years. “Absence of such natural avenues for the floodwater to recede has led to the precarious situation,” he observed.

A residential project along Chitrapuzha near Chittethukara continued to remain flooded for the third day after the Kadamprayar in the vicinity remained almost in spate. Some of the residents have shifted their families to other places following the possibility of an epidemic outbreak.

Water contamination

While water has receded substantially within the city limits, water contamination remains a threat. Ernakulam MLA Hibi Eden said that families at Udaya and P&T Colonies and a few families on the puramboke land alongside Muttar River have been moved to relief camps. “The situation is especially fluid at the colonies with stormwater mixed with septic tank content entering houses,” said Mr. Eden.

The 60 residents of the P and T Colony continued to stay in the camp set up at Kendriya Vidyalaya at Gandhi Nagar. The community kitchen that was operated for the residents of Udaya and Karithala colony continued to function on Wednesday too. Sanitation works were carried out at these colonies by health workers as water levels receded, said Poornima Narayan, Education Standing Committee chairperson, who represent the division.

District Medical Officer N.K. Kuttapan said that the real threat of an epidemic outbreak emerges once the water recedes and people put up in camps return to their homes. “Chlorination and sanitation campaigns and testing of water quality will have to be done at that time,” he said.

Mayor Soumini Jain said that tapped water remains more or less safe except where it is contaminated by leakage in pipelines. It is mostly water from other sources that poses the problem, she added.

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