Tidal flooding has wreaked havoc in parts of Alappuzha district in Kerala. Floodwaters inundated several houses in Cherthala and Kayamkulam, the worst-affected regions in recent days.

In Cherthala, people living on the northern side of Thanneermukkom barrage, including parts of Cherthala municipality, Thuravoor, Pallipuram, Panavally, Thycattussery, Thanneermukkom, Arookutty, Perumbalam, Ezhupunna, Kodamthuruthu and Kadakarappally, have borne the brunt of the flooding caused by high tide. Around 2,000 households on the banks of Vembanad Lake and canals connected to it have been affected.

Residents and local body members said that lowering the shutters of Thanneermukkom bund had exacerbated the situation. The Irrigation department closed all 90 shutters of the barrage and four locks last week to prevent brackish water intrusion into Kuttanad.

Earlier, seawater intrusion through the bund, which began in November, and the subsequent rise in water levels adversely affected paddy cultivation in several parts of the Kuttanad region. The sudden increase in water levels in the mornings due to high tide and a drop in the evenings in low tide resulted in several bund breaches in November and December.

Local residents, however, said that along with safeguarding paddy cultivation in Kuttanad, steps should be taken to protect the lives and livelihoods of those affected by tidal flooding.

Daily life, agriculture hit

In Kayamkulam, tidal flooding has left people living on the banks of Kayamkulam Lake and canals connected to the waterbody in distress. According to residents, water levels start rising around midnight and recede only in the morning, inundating homes in low-lying areas and disrupting daily life. Saline water intrusion has also impacted agriculture in the region.

Local residents attribute the worsening situation to the decreasing depth of Kayamkulam Lake. They said that no dredging had been carried out in the backwaters for the past several years. It has led to sediment and waste accumulation. Residents demanded that shutters be installed at Azheekal and Koottumvathukkal to prevent the intrusion of seawater into interior areas.