Niranam: When the worst floods in close to a century submerged Thiruvalla and surrounding areas between August 8 and 16, Soosan Thomas did not think twice to offer her house to those displaced by the calamity.
For over a month, the house of Soosan of Pothoopallil Thaynaril, near Thottadi, served as the relief camp for as many as 60 persons belonging to 12 families in Niranam - one of the worst hit areas in the district.
These families, including women, children and the elderly, who were forced out of their homes, were given space to sleep inside her house, and she, along with her two children, Milan Jacob, an engineering student, and Mridula Jacob, a Plus One student, moved out to a relative’s house in Anjilithanam.
Earlier, when the region witnessed massive flooding in mid-July, the family had thrown their doors open for marooned families, taking in as many as 119 people from 35 families.
With floodwaters inundating the entire area, country boats were the only means of transportation to reach the house located in the middle of a paddy cluster bordering Alappuzha district, about 2 km away from the mainland. It is a single storey house with three-bedrooms, hall and a kitchen.
She also arranged a temporary shed for the displaced to cook food and made sure there was enough grocery supplies for them.
When the area experienced the second spell of incessant showers between August 8 and 16 causing widespread flooding, rainwaters entered the premises of her house. Heeding the advice of her husband Thomas Jacob who works abroad, she moved to a relative’s house, but not before opening the gates to house those in distress.
