With continuing rain and flash floods following multiple landslips, hundreds of families in the foothills of the Western Ghats are going through a harrowing time in the district. While some of the families managed to relocate to the relief camps or homes of relatives, the majority are staying back in their houses on pins and needles.
Disrupted power supply and mobile communication facilities doubled the risk in many of the landslip-prone areas under the Thamarassery taluk. Unexpected rise in the water-level of rivers continues to be a fear factor for several families in Mukkom. Multiple-landslips have changed even small rivulets into dangerous watercourse.
“Families settled in hilly areas are all worried now. They are all in search of safer locations. Rural areas such as Koorachundu, Thiruvambadi, Koodaranhi, Peruvannamoozhi and Kallanode are heading to bigger trouble,” says Jijo Thomas, a settler farmer who brought back his sister and families to his home on Thursday from a flood-hit region. As none of them have experienced the landslips and floods of this magnitude before, moving to safer locations too is taking time, he adds.
K. Johnson, a farmer who moved to the house of his relative following a landslip near his house at Koombara on Thursday, says many of the affected families are now leaving the spot after suffering a lot.
“A sudden shifting, leaving all the belongings behind, is proving to be a mentally upsetting moment for all,” he adds in pain.
At Kannappankundu the situation is still unsafe as minor landslips at Mailallampara and Mattippara hills continue to rock the village. The water-level in the Kannappankundu river is remaining high. Several families are still being shifted to relief camps in the wake of the distress situation.
“With the frequent landslips, the river is often filled with wreckage and debris leading to block the flow. People are constantly monitoring such unsafe developments and clear it with the support of the rescue squads” says Krishnakumar, a resident in the area. He says the families shifted to the relief camps will not be able to come back soon in the insecure situation.
At Thottumukkam, a village with several granite quarries, a large number of families are staying anxious. On Thursday, a landslip occurred at Edakkattuparamba in the area isolated several families. Several shops in the village were flooded. Residents in the area say they are very worried – even a small landslip in the quarrying areas of Mysoormala can have a devastating impact on this settler farmers’ area.
