This Kerala village remains isolated even after floodwater recedes

KOCHI: Kunjithai, a small fishing village in Ernakulam, has been completely cut off from the outside world for the last four days as Kerala is battling century's deadliest monsoon floods.


Kunjithai village's only road remains inundated by floodwaters. A ferry service, the other lifeline, was stopped due to dangerous undercurrents in Pallippuram Lake, making the situation even worse.

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When floods swallowed small houses in the locality, people moved to a local school, the only four-storey building in the village. "It's a temporary shelter," says Biji, a local councillor in Kunjithai.

"We are forced to shift our kitchen from ground floor to the first floor after water gushed into the locality. It looks like water will recede by tomorrow (Wednesday), but we are not using the ground floor as we can't trust the rain," said Biji.

The camp at OLS LP School near Pallippuram Lake shelters around 200 people and majority of them are elderly and children.

"I have lost my house," laments 50-year-old Mariya. She lives with her 85-year-old mother who is bed-ridden. "My house was already in a dilapidated condition. After the floods, it worsened. When the water receded, I went to check the condition of my house. There were snakes inside. I don't think I can repair my house," she said.

Seventy-year-old Nalini who grew up on the island said this was the first time she was witnessing a severe flood like this in her life. She was ill and couldn't walk to the camp. Her son with the help of neighbours carried her on a chair.

"Our house was totally inundated. I told my son to leave me at my house. I was ready to die; I don’t want to leave my house. They carried me on a chair. I don’t want to move,” he said.

Kunjithai remains an isolated place even after the rains stopped and the water receded in many parts of the district. No government official has visited the temporary shelters so far. The village is left with no drinking water as the main road is flooded, thus preventing water tankers from reaching the area. The power supply and internet connectivity were also limited, making life even more difficult.

"We are using drinking water stored in the fishing boats," said Biji.

"But we are running out of clean water. We demand clean water immediately," he said.

An elderly woman at the shelter home

There are at least 50 people who require medical attention in the area. Almost all of them need new clothes as they have been wearing the same dress since the day they were admitted to the camp. There's immediate requirement of other essentials like undergarments, sanitary napkins, utensils, candles and vegetables.

There's also a widespread panic that the unhygienic conditions may lead to spread of epidemics. The villagers want a medical camp as soon as the water recedes.

As Kunjithai is remote and far away from other rescue camps, the attention it can generate is poor. Although, some organizations reading social media posts about the dire conditions of people in Kunjithai have extended a helping hand.

Kerala is limping back to normalcy after the torrential rainfall and floods wreaked havoc across the state. As per the latest figures, at least 350 people have died and over 80,0000 have been displaced by the natural calamity.

The state received 42 percent more rainfall than normal monsoon and 35 dams were opened resulting in massive floods and landslides.