Acres of fields with ruined paddy saplings and fallen plantains is what one sees in Vellanad village of Srivaikuntam Taluk in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district after the floods. Carcasses of hundreds of animals, including goats, cows, and hens, are now piled up in the village’s farms. 

The district witnessed unprecedented rains since Sunday, December 17, which resulted in floods.

Acres of farmlands along the banks of Thamirabarani River have been left in ruins, with damaged roads and muddy fields making access to many dairy farms difficult. Many farmers are unable to reach their properties as the connecting roads have been completely destroyed, leaving them in suspense about the fate of their animals.

"I had more than 200 goats, four cows, and many hens in the shed. Many of them were washed away in the water. Others were found dead when I visited the shed the day after the floods. All of them have died," lamented Dhanushkodi, a distressed farmer.

Senthil, another farmer, expressed his grief: "I still haven’t been able to enter the shed, as the mud is dangerous. From outside, I saw that all my goats were dead. The carcasses have begun to decompose. However, not even a two-wheeler can reach the place as all the roads are damaged."

The heavy rains and the resultant floods caught the farmers off guard, as there were no warnings about the rising water levels. Chidambaram, another farmer, recounted the tragic events: “We had no clue that the water would rise this high. If we had a warning at least a day before, we could have shifted the animals to a safe place. When it started flooding, the water level rose all of a sudden. We were in the village and could not reach the farms. By the time we rushed there the next day, all had been killed."

In response to the crisis, officials of the government’s Animal Husbandry department visited a few farms on the morning of Wednesday, December 20 and took note of the decomposing carcasses. The farmers hope for swift assistance and support from the authorities to cope with their loss.

Four southern districts of Tamil Nadu faced unprecedented rains since December 17, resulting in floods in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Kanyakumari districts. The Tamil Nadu government said that 160 relief centres have been established where more than 17,000 people have sought refuge. At least 15 people are feared dead in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts in the heavy flooding. While state Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena confirmed 10 deaths – seven in Tirunelveli and three in Thoothukudi – the toll according to media reports has now increased to 15 with five additional deaths reported in Tirunelveli district.