Kozhencherry: A damaged boat, abandoned by fishermen during the rescue mission in flood-ravaged Aranmula region in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district, will be turned into a memorial for the worst deluge Kerala witnessed in a century.
The fishermen had left the boat near Punnamthottam Devi Temple as it developed cracks after hitting compound walls and trees. The boat was deployed to rescue people stranded at Mallappuzhassery and Aranmula areas.
Aranmula MLA Veena George said several memorials were erected in the state for the deluge of 1924. “This boat would become a monument to remind future generations of the flood fury of 2018,” she said. The boat would be installed on a platform at a height till water level rose in the area, the MLA said.
An appropriate site would be identified for the memorial on Kozhencherry–Chengannur road. The Public Works Department has already prepared an estimate for the project.
The worst-ever floods in Kerala in August had claimed over 400 lives and destroyed property worth thousands of crores. Thousands of people are still stuck in flood relief camps as they lost their houses in the deluge.
