Paruthiyoor in Pozhiyoor now bears the scars of the swell surge that battered Kerala’s coastline on 31 March threw normal life haywire.
A powerful swell surge wreaked havoc along the coastline, causing several houses to collapse and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. (South First)
It was Easter evening. The Pieta sat with the familiar sorrowful expression on the artificial rock formation at the estuary at Paruthiyoor in Pozhiyoor, some 32 km south of Thiruvananthapuram city.
A Cross rose above the sculpture, a still and silent reminder of the redeeming benefits of Christ’s passion and death. The patch of greenery where it stood looked like an oasis on the golden sand that scorched under the summer sun.
The villagers were celebrating Easter after 40 days of Lent. As dusk neared, the ever-familiar sea had other ideas. It swelled, surged and rolled into the coast, inundating and damaging houses that lined the beach.
There are only rubbles in those places where there were once houses. (South First)
Easter 2024 soon became nightmarish as the furious sea battered the coastline and beyond with vengeance. Old-timers soon identified the phenomenon as what they say in Malayalam as Kallakkadal, which turns the sea into a thief that usurps properties and spreads havoc.
On Easter day, the villagers sensed something amiss in advance. They grabbed whatever belongings they could and sought shelter in relief camps. A couple of hours later, their fears came true as Kallakadal surged in. The weatherman had another name for Kallakkadal. He called it the swell surge.
Within minutes, the otherwise serene and picturesque landscape transformed into a scene of devastation and resilience as residents and authorities worked tirelessly to overcome damages caused by the natural disaster.
Swell surge or Kallakkadal, a colloquial term used by Kerala fishermen, are flash-flood events that take place without any noticeable advance change in local winds or any other apparent signature in the coastal environment.
Mettalc was at the Government Upper Primary School, Pozhiyoor, when South First met her. The school has turned into a relief camp.
The 60-year-old woman was visibly frightened and worried. “A chill runs down my spine every time I remember it. The entire coastal hamlet was in a festive mood. But it abruptly transformed into a scene of chaos and destruction as a powerful swell surge battered the coastline,” she recalled the thunderous arrival of unexpected high waves that crashed on the coast with a roar.
Mettalc at the relief camp. (South First)
High waves with their immense force made several houses along the coast collapse, displacing families and causing widespread property damage.
“On that day, from 3 pm onwards, we felt that something was wrong with the waves. We shifted to safer places. At around 5 pm, these waves ravaged our area. Maybe it’s because of Christ’s blessing on that Holy day that no lives were lost,” Mettalc added.
According to Kanakamma, another woman in the relief camp, the surge flooded their houses and streets, disrupting transportation and vital services. It also caused erosion of beaches and embankments, damage to vegetation, and reduced soil fertility.
“Our drinking-water sources were polluted, and we are staring at an outbreak of epidemics, mostly waterborne diseases,” she shared her apprehension with South First.
She alleged that the Fisheries Department did not act despite the villagers asking it to strengthen the seawalls.
“Two weeks ago, we asked them to strengthen the seawalls. But they ignored our demand. Had it been ensured, we think that the impact might have been less severe,” Kanakamma added.
Fisherman S Anjalius alleged that the coastline started shrinking after the construction of the seawall.
“Ten years ago, our coastline was different. Once the seawall came up, the coastline got eaten away by the waves. We have lost track of the number of houses that were washed away,” the 65-year-old man said. He pointed at his house damaged by the devastating tidal waves on 31 March.
S. Anjalius (South First)
He also cited the seawall construction at a harbour in Tamil Nadu as the cause of the phenomenon.
For Anjalius, the future is bleak, as no one knows when they will get adequate compensation for the houses that get destroyed.
“The water has receded. But that doesn’t mean that we could return to normal life. The houses that were destroyed will have to be reconstructed. Our boats and fishing nets also suffered heavy damage. We think that we are destined to live in penury for some time now,” he said.
Meanwhile, the three affected persons, as well as many others, launched a scathing attack on the political parties and their leaders.
“Be it the Congress, the Communists, or the BJP, they only considered us as a vote bank. They even do not care about considering us as humans. How can they ignore us like this,” Mettalc vented her anger.
They also point out that the long-pending demand for a harbour at Pozhiyoor has not been heard.
Speaking to South First, Geetha Suresh, Kulathoor Gram Panchayat president, said, four wards – Pozhiyoor, Mullassery, Paruthiyoor, and Pozhikkara Beach – were most affected by the swell surge. She estimated a loss of ₹50 lakh.
“Ten houses were destroyed, and 400 houses were partially damaged. We estimate a total loss of ₹50 lakh. Also, an Okhi Park constructed using MLA funds of ₹68 lakh got completely destroyed,” Suresh said.
The president also added that a delegation from the panchayat will soon visit the District Collector as well as the ministers concerned seeking emergency financial assistance.
Suresh said a place in Paruthiyoor is completely cut off after the swell surge and efforts are on to ensure all possible assistance to them.
“There is a PWD road that connects Kerala with Tamil Nadu. It has been completely damaged, and people living there are now marooned. We are also finding it difficult to reach out to them and provide basic facilities like drinking water,” she said.
The president also added that despite such heavy losses, people are reluctant to go to camps. To her, they are in a protest mode, demanding a seawall and harbour.
According to the Thiruvananthapuram district administration, only one relief camp was opened at Pozhiyoor and it currently houses 22 families.
“As many as 41 people are in the relief camp — 17 men, as many women and seven children,” the district administration said in a statement.
The camp at Leo XIII Higher Secondary School in Pulluvila ceased functioning after the situation came under control.
Swell surge are flash-flood events, and the local population remains totally unaware of these flooding events until they actually occur.
A house damaged in the swell surge. (South First)
According to the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, in 2012, UNESCO formally accepted Kallakkadal, a colloquial term, for scientific use.
During Kallakkadal events, the sea surges into the land and inundates vast areas. These events have attracted attention, especially after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in the Indian Ocean, since most people mistake Kallakkadal for a tsunami. Tsunami and Kallakkadal are two different types of waves with entirely separate causes or mechanisms.
Kallakkadal is caused by meteorological conditions in the Southern Ocean, south of 30°S. An INCOIS study revealed that specific meteorological conditions in the Southern Indian Ocean support the generation of long period swells. These swells, once generated, travel northward and reach the Indian coasts in 3-5 days, creating havoc in the coastal areas.
In 2020, INCOIS claimed that it had developed a system that could predict Kallakkadal. According to it, warnings will be given to authorities concerned at least 2-3 days in advance, and thus it will help the local authorities with contingency plans and reduce damage.
The people of Pozhiyoor, however, received no warning.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
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