Major recounts the two-day operation of his team with the help of locals

It was a difficult place for an outsider to access. It was the local people, wading through water precariously, who were ferrying the flood-hit to safer places, which were also surrounded by water. What made matters worse was the knowledge that six persons had died in a wall collapse at an old building near St. Xavier’s Church in Kuthiyathode. Several people had taken shelter in the parish hall of the church.

Major Ravishankar H.N. of the 120 Engineer Regiment, Pune, with a 10-member team, was tasked with the responsibility of reaching the place and pulling out the bodies out from underneath the collapsed building.

“We reached there wading through chest-high water on Saturday evening,” Major Ravishankar told The Hindu.

Helping them reach the place were Vishnu, Akbar and Antony, who knew the way around thoroughly, even in the dark. “It took us a long time to reach there from Puthenvelikkara. Wading through the water with strong currents was difficult. The Coast Guard was also there. But after a point, their boat could not go farther. We had flat boats with us on which we made it to the place,” he said.

After a brief assessment, the team got down to the task. “We did not have all our tools with us,” said the Major. However, the team managed to get some of the task done. The diligent and swift work by expert hands removed the debris of the collapsed building on the side of the staircase to find two bodies. Water had receded to the waist-level when they stopped the work and returned that night.

They went again on Sunday evening, better equipped to complete the task of taking out all the bodies. By 9.30 p.m., they had finished their work. It was a challenge to carry the bodies, the boats and tools back. When they reached the place, the water level was only just above the knee, and it came down by the time they completed the task.

“A person named Davis knew exactly where the people were inside the building when they got trapped,” said the Major. “His directions were so accurate that it made our task much easier,” he said.