Kerala Flood: In Search of saviours

With floods continuing unabated in Kerala, or at least rain water levels not receding to consoling lows on Friday, tales of woe of people marooned and facing deaths kept pouring in from different parts of the state.

Three of a family die inside marooned house

Chengannur: Three people of a family marooned in a house finally had watery death. Another escaped. Soshamma John (90) of Mangalam Kannadalil Veettil, Chengnnur, his son Baby (70) and Baby's son Reny (30) are the ones who died. Reny's mother escaped. They were all living in a single-storeyed house in an isolated area.

Their house had a staircase outside to reach the top, but they could not get there. Reny had an accident earlier and was too weak to ascend and so they did not climb up the stairs. Although rescue workers passed by their way twice, they could not enter the premises due to strong water current. Finally rescue workers arrived there onFriday, but by that time three were dead.

The wife of Baby who survived was moved to the flood relief camp in Chengannur. The three dead boeies were taken to the mortuary of Govt Hospital Chengannur.

Unending cry of Chalakkudy

Thrissur: The wail of Chalakkudi is tuning into the pain of Thrissur. Even as rescue efforts are going on in full swing, several places continue to be inaccessible. The number of those caught in insular spots has been increasing. Newspaper offices are inundated with calls and anxious enquiries such as "We are trapped here, will you please inform somebody, can you save some of us.." all arousing pity and urgency.

Many are so helpless with their mobile phone battery out of power and thus in panic. By midnight on Thursday, the water current in Chalakkudy became all the stronger. Chalakkudy town is still a virtual island no one can reach. Even within that there are spots forming islets. Among the many stuck there, 26 were rescued by a helicopter with rescue workers that arrived by noon. They were taken to Kuttanelloor, Thrissur. 35 boats between the navy and Fisheries Department, are engaged in rescue efforts.

Alwaye swimming in flood

Alwaye is still reeling under the stress of flood. Thousands of people are still trapped in homes and other buildings. Panic-stricken residents are raising their hands all around, craving for saviours.

Those stranded inside buildings including children, have been starving with no food or water. People so physically cut off in buildings and even in some rescue centres submerged in water, were transported by lorries, buses and other large vehicles to the camps. Most of the rescued had been inside the marooned buildings for two days. A woman who was lifted from a place of worship in Chowara, gave birth to a baby after a few hours.

The spectacle in Alwaye was still doleful on Friday with thousands giving distress calls not knowing whom to call out for, and without knowing what was going on around them. Elukkara, Kayantikkara, Companypady, Kunjunikkara and Paravoor Kavala have all been in spate.