Flood Life!

December 2015 began with hopes and dreams. But for Chennai it began with floods and streams. There is a saying "Little drops of water make the mighty ocean" I admire philosophy but no offense I get annoyed if it is too confusing. Yet the literal depiction of that saying became reality. Little drops of rain became floods which drowned prominent regions of Tamil Nadu. Seeing floods and experiencing floods are completely divergent. And I can say I have been both the spectator and the victim of the floods. 

From my previous post - “Rains of Chennai lead to my boredom” can show my perspective about floods as a spectator. This post is about my experience with floods as a victim. 

Dec 1, 2015: It was a usual day with my routine work. There was unusual pattern of continuous rainfall. Thoughts about Christmas time, end of the year, start of New Year, etc were captivating my mind. Until, the nuisance began at the night. Sudden flow of water from the drains entered the floors of my home. The water was clear and less but constant. So, I, my mom and my brother tried to sweep off the water. I felt like being heroic even though the herculean task was to just sweep off the water from the floors. As the level of water was not increasing and the flow of water was not halting. We got tired of putting anymore effort left in our body tissues. So, we all went to sleep. The good cosy feeling of sleeping after being tired; surrounded by the fluffy pillows, soft & warm fabric of the bed sheets and the last but not the least the bed that’s been supportive more than anyone in my life is something I won’t trade for anything. 

Dec 2, 2015: Once in a blue moon, I get deep sleep and I am an avid dreamer. Anyways, Instead of waking up to bright amber sunlight, I woke up to wet floors, smell of fungus/whatever similar to swamp atmosphere, darkness (no electricity), and expecting an apocalypse. The level of water increased and slightly having brownish tinge. I went to the sink and brushed my teeth. Then, I and my brother opened the door to see the situation outside the house, but suddenly water gushed inside the house we got startled and pushed the door harder to lock it up. We felt like feeling trapped on all sides but thank god the level of water was 2 feet which was okay for walking yet increasing at rapid rate. We started brainstorming immediately to safeguard the stuff to be packed in bags and kept on the top of shelves as high as possible. We dragged all the important certificates, some money, my laptop, chargers, phones, snack packets, water bottle, blankets,etc packed into a luggage and we kept as many remaining stuff on the top of the shelves and got out of the house. At first we waited for my dad to arrive from his shop to give keys for his office which is above the house at first floor. We poor souls were too afraid and stunned by the raising levels of water and stayed on the steps which lead to the door of the tenant’s place. The tenants came and they offered us to stay at their place. I was too suspicious and hesitant to enter but I had to obey my mom who gave me this ferociously frustrated anger stare on me till I enter. So I entered to see the view of darkness, secluded, dirt-filled and other obscure oddities of the tenant’s place. My instincts were alarming not to go inside any further but I had no other choice. Until, my dad arrived and asked us to come inside the office. I was gleaming with joy to get out of the tenant’s place and to stay at my dad’s office. We ate snacks for while, saw the water level rising, saw neighbor's houses getting sunk, saw a rat at a neighbor’s wall patiently and safely waiting for the water to reduce, saw people roaming in the flooded pathways, and the skies got dark. We took some photos and videos, spoke jokes, and got drowsy. There were sounds of helicopters roaming on the skies and rescue boats roamed on the pathways. We ate our dinner which was 4 biscuits, some puffed rice, salted peanuts and sip of water. And slept in chairs, which were icy cold like the weather outside. 

Dec 3, 2015: The dawn was cloudy. Everything was stinking, the place, the stuff, the surroundings, and us. The view bored my eyes. The birds were flying on the sky and I wished why I didn’t have wings to escape from fate’s catastrophes. The ambiance of the place was strangely calm, sad, and cold. Everyone wished the water level reduces. By afternoon it got reduced; we entered the house to analyze the state of the house. The furniture were tumbled and jumbled on the floor which looked like a perplexing maze. The electronics which we forgot to keep in safe place because of being in a panic and hurry to escape from floods were all drenched. It was shocking to see that all the vital stuff bought with hard earned money is gone. Seeing the books, clothes, food and other objects collected for the past 20 years dripping with water, glued with slime and coated with mud; even though I am not a bookworm or materialistic person still it felt so heart-wrenching to see them in that condition. The level of water was imprinted on the walls which showed that water came up to 5 feet. There were dead insects, lizards and a rat on the leftover water at the rear end of the house. The doors and windows were soaked which fell off when touched. The floor wet and filled with mud, filth and cooking oil that got spilled from the kitchen due to flooding of water. It was very uneasy and too slippery to walk on the floor. Also it was a risk to walk because the glass on the cupboards were broken into pieces on the floor. The thought of where to start cleaning and dumping trash was haunting the brains. When cleaning was initiated someone in the roads started telling that the Chembarambakkam dam got broken and run for your life. And here we were again feared what to do? Is it true? Etc. Then the police announced in loudspeakers that it was a rumor. On top of helping why would certain people create rumors to add more misery to us? The need and importance of a candle and matchbox is known when there is no electricity and no torches. Mom got calls from grandma and her sisters. I was bit jealous and sad that no one cared to call me to enquire whether I was dead or alive. Then the electricity came, but there was no phone signal and Wi-fi working. We cleaned the guest room near the porch and slept there. 

Dec 4, 2015: I woke up with body aches and stink. Even though electricity came only the fans and lights worked. I and my brother had to bring buckets of water from the hand pump to the house which is not an easy task. Cleaning the aftermath of a flood is difficult. The mud gets stuck if it dries or gets stagnated persistently if it is wet. The walls get covered by patches of microbes, fungus and florae. The heavy furniture has to be hauled outside in order to clean properly. The stuff that cannot be useful anymore has to be thrown away even though they have a lot of sentimental value. And occasional bruising, bleeding, slipping, and getting hurt both physically and emotionally occurs. Life feels worthless and trashy. Then, the Wi-fi worked. I started checking mails and other apps. In the messages few of my friends texted whether i was fine or not and some even said they will help if I require any help. These words were enough to restore my belief in life. And because of this I guess I am not psychotic yet. Someone delivered lemon rice to everyone which was delicious. And some gave biscuits, matchbox, candle, water bottles, milk powder and foods which was the reason for my survival. Thanks to those people who were determined to help the flood affected people. Belief in humanity got restored.

Dec 5 & 6 - 2015: I was too tired to do anything. I browsed internet for a while, mom started slandering about me for being lazy and useless. Then, I segregated another pile of drenched stuff to keep and stuff to be fare welled. And proceeded to cleaning which was by now became a routine. The electrician came and dried the electronics with a hair dryer and to my surprise they worked. 

Dec 7, 2015: The same usual clean and dump activity happened the whole day. Bathing after a long time is like glimpse of heaven.  I saw a frog being with me near the bed at night without croaking and leaping. We had a stare contest, truth was I was petrified to hell don’t know what the frog was thinking and stared at me. I don’t remember what happened next I was tired and slept. 

Dec 8, 2015: Today, I am alive and blogging about my Experience with floods as a victim. And also got the strength to recall what happened few days back. Still the cleaning and segregation work is pending but the stink has reduced. Being flooded is not fun but it teaches a lot of life lessons. 

Some of the flood pics:

The flooded porch at my house

Bridge near Kasi theatre which is submerged 

Prepped Life boats to the rescue!

That's me.. Does selfie and floods means floofie?

Nearby area

The view i got when i woke on Dec 3, 2015