Sunday, August 24, 2014

The deluge and the aftermath.

It was a week of incessant rains thanks to a trough of low off the west coast, over the Arabian Sea. Rains lashed furiously all through without respite, so much so, that a couple of car owners came and requested of me to permit the parking of their cars in our courtyard. It was late in the night on Saturday and I didn't have the heart to say 'nyet' to any of them.

Did my house resemble a motor mechanic's garage, I wonder!?

The power supply had got interrupted for about fourteen hours. Water was used sparingly as the motor could not be operated consequent to the power interruption. Thankfully, the land line telephone worked without problems probably because of the comparative newness of the line! Many of the roads had knee deep water bringing the traffic to a disgusting crawl and there were places where sections of the road had simply caved in!!

Even the gods weren't spared. The Guruvayur temple had water welling up within the perimeters of the sanctum sanctorum. Luckily for us, we've had no problems of water logging since 'The Quarterdeck' is on high ground and therefore, the excess waters drain away even before it has time to collect!

The schools have been shut and a few of them have been converted to be makeshift homes for the thousands, whose houses have got damaged/submerged, partially or otherwise. The government agencies ensure timely food and essential medical aid to the needy.

I've a long drive, two days from now and it's my fond hope that I do not come across any major traffic snarls enroute. Mom's medical review, calling on a couple of families that have been long pending, attending two weddings and a wedding reception along with the overseeing of the upkeep of my dad's house are all part of the agenda, which will have to be squeezed in along with the official audits and the Foundation's work. In other words, it's about living out of suitcases over the next ten days!


Tailpiece.

Why are we so callous about maintaining the roadside drains and the pavements? Accidents are caused by a dime a dozen and no one seems to care. The overstretched police force continues to do a good job notwithstanding the tremendous strain that's brought to bear upon them!     

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