A sudden, heavy downpour in Adimali town on Saturday evening has brought life to a standstill for Sibi Varghese and his wife, Shaila. The couple, residents of Vaykkalamkandam in Irumbupalam, saw their sole source of livelihood drowned in mud and rainwater after their establishment, Iris Offset Printing Press, located opposite the Adimali Town Juma Masjid, was severely flooded.

For Sibi, who lives with a physical disability in his legs, this printing press was the culmination of three decades of hard work. After working in various printing presses for thirty years, he finally realised his dream of starting his own venture two years ago. He set up the press by securing an ₹8 lakh loan from a nationalised bank. The income generated from the press was just enough to cover his monthly loan instalments and sustain his family without hardship.

The unexpected weekend downpour caused an adjacent drainage canal to overflow, sending water rushing directly into the room housing the heavy machinery. Water levels rose to nearly four feet, carrying silt and mud that completely submerged the motors and other delicate printing equipment. Sibi mentioned that the actual extent of the financial damage can only be assessed once a technician arrives from Changanassery to inspect the machinery. With no title deeds for their modest 15-cent plot of land in Vaykkalamkandam and Sibi’s physical limitations preventing him from taking up manual labour, the couple now faces an incredibly uncertain future.

Nutmeg nursery devastated by runoff
The torrential rain on Saturday evening also spelt disaster for Gopi Cherukunnel, a prominent multi-root nutmeg farmer near the Chatupara substation on the national highway. Floodwater mixed with silt, soil, and rocks from an overflowing national highway drain gushed into his agricultural land. This land was home to his prized mother plants, which he had been meticulously cultivating for budding nutmeg saplings. Gopi expressed deep concern as the thick layer of stones and mud has left his mother plants on the verge of absolute decay.

According to Gopi, the disaster was entirely preventable, blaming faulty drain construction along the national highway and a narrow local stream near the substation that restricts the natural flow of water. Seeking redress and immediate action, Gopi has submitted a memorandum to both the district administration and the local panchayat authorities.