Idukki floods: Eight years on, scars of the 2018 deluge remain

Cheruthoni: Eight years after darkness, incessant rain and raging waters turned life in Idukki upside down, the scars of the devastating August 2018 floods remain etched across the district.

Landslides, mudslides, destroyed roads, collapsed houses and ruined farmlands are still visible in several parts of Idukki, reminders of the devastation left behind by the disaster. Even after eight years, the wounds inflicted by the floods have not completely healed.

According to government statistics, 59 people died in the floods in Idukki, while 16,630 families were affected. As many as 11,530 hectares of agricultural land were destroyed, while 1,992 houses were completely destroyed and another 7,200 partially damaged. Around 30,000 people took shelter in relief camps, and 32,991 people submitted applications for government compensation.

Behind every statistic are stories of shattered lives, lost homes and broken dreams.

The torrent of sorrow

The rains intensified on August 9, 2018, unleashing devastation across several parts of Idukki. Upputhode was among the areas that bore the brunt of the disaster.

Four people, including three members of the same family, died in the region. Numerous houses and farmlands were destroyed. As many as 531 people were moved to the relief camp at the St Joseph's Church Parish Hall, while another 260 sought shelter at the SNDP Auditorium.

The body of Rajamma, who went missing in a landslide, has never been found, underscoring the magnitude of the tragedy and the grief it left behind.

Heavy rains also wreaked havoc in the Karimpan area. Gandhinagar Colony, adjacent to Cheruthoni town, was another major disaster zone. Six people lost their lives there.

With no adequate space available for cremation, funeral pyres had to be arranged on the middle of the road for four of the victims. The haunting sight remains etched in the memories of local residents even today.

When the dam gates opened

The opening of the Idukki dam brought another catastrophe to Cheruthoni. When the dam's shutters were opened after 26 years, the Cheruthoni River overflowed, submerging parts of the town.

Around 20 shops and several other establishments went underwater. Traders could only watch helplessly as the money and goods they had accumulated through years of hard work were swept away by the raging waters.

The Cheruthoni bus stand and check dam were washed away. Water also entered several houses, disrupting the lives of thousands of people who lost their homes, farmland, businesses and livelihoods.

For many, the days spent in relief camps and the painful return to homes and fields after the waters receded remain unforgettable.

The wounds have not healed

Eight years have passed. New roads, houses and buildings have come up, and life has gradually moved forward.

But the screams heard during those August nights, the roar of the floodwaters, the terrifying sound of landslides and the grief of those who lost loved ones have not faded from Idukki's collective memory.