Amid heavy rains, rough sea wreaks havoc along the coastal village of Chellanam in Ernakulam on Saturday afternoon, inundating homes, submerging roads and triggering severe sea erosion. High waves have been lashing the coast across several vulnerable stretches, including Chellanam, Kannamaly, Cheriya Kadavu, Puthenthode, Kaattiparambu, Saudi and Manassery, where the seawall has remained fully collapsed for years.

The worst-hit areas are in Kannamaly, where temporary geo-bag protection walls gave way under the force of pounding waves, allowing seawater mixed with mud and slush to gush into residential compounds and inundate the busy Chellanam-Kannamaly road.

The situation deteriorated rapidly after 11 amas heavy rainfall coincided with high tide. Between noon and 3.30 pm, large waves breached the weakened shoreline and ruins of the old stone seawall, sending seawater into several houses. Families scrambled to move household items, utensils and furniture to higher places as floodwaters continued to rise.

Cheriya Kadavu, where the second phase of tetrapod seawall was inaugurated by the previous LDF government days before elections, painted a grim picture, with roads, drainage channels and footpaths disappearing under floodwaters.

“The roads are fully flooded, and one cannot tell where the drainage ditch ends and where the road begins. The footpaths are completely submerged, and water is rushing into nearby homes,” said Jackson, a resident of Cheriya Kadavu.

Commuters were left stranded as vehicles struggled through the flooded stretches. Several motorcyclists were forced to push their bikes through knee-deep water, while buses, cars and other vehicles navigated the submerged roads with difficulty.

Residents said the sea remained relatively calm during the morning before turning violent as the tide rose. Francis Pollayil, a resident living near the Kannamaly Water Tank area near the police station, said the temporary coastal protection measures like geo-bag walls had failed to withstand the rough sea.

“There is a severe sea surge here. My house is only 20 metres from the coast. The seawall stones that were here previously collapsed and flattened out. After last year’s erosion, a few sandbags were placed, but as the sea grew rougher today, those collapsed as well. Water has flooded our surroundings with mud and slush. We had to move all our pots, pans and utensils to the porch,” Pollayil told Onmanorama.

He added that the flooding had spread to neighbouring areas. “Water has entered inside my brother Wilson’s house nearby, and it rushed right through the kitchen and hall area,” Francis said.

Residents have been demanding that the government begin the second phase of the tetrapod seawall. However, the project is yet to receive requisite sanctions, and the residents have alleged that the inauguration carried out by the Pinarayi government was mere eyewash to ensure votes ahead of the assembly polls.

“Places where tetrapods were laid are safe, but in areas where they haven't been installed yet, we suffer every single year,” said Mariyamma Kurishinkal, a resident.

The flooding forced anxious residents, including elderly people and families with children, to remain on their porches or wade through waterlogged streets. While many expressed concern over the rising water levels, local children were seen making their way through the flooded roads, describing the annual monsoon flooding as an unfortunate routine.

Sebastian VT, convenor of Chellanam-Kochi Janakiyavedhi, said the sea attack extended across a long stretch of the coastline. With heavy rain continuing and another high tide expected during the early hours of Sunday, residents fear the situation could worsen overnight.

“Seawater is surging inland heavily from Cheriya Kadavu all the way up to Puthenthode, as well as in Kaattiparambu, Saudi and Manassery. While areas protected by tetrapods remain safe, unprotected stretches are taking the brunt of the sea attack. High tide peaked in the afternoon and is expected to surge again late tonight between 2.00 am and 3.00 am. The residents will be having sleepless nights,” he said.

Residents said the steep seabed gradient along the Kannamaly-Chellanam coastline causes waves to strike the shore with greater force instead of breaking offshore, making the region particularly vulnerable whenever rough seas coincide with monsoon rains and high tides.

Apart from inundating houses, floodwaters submerged drainage channels and footpaths, creating additional hazards as several concrete slabs covering drains had shifted or become invisible beneath the water. Traffic along the Chellanam-Kannamaly road remained severely disrupted throughout the day.