KOZHIKODE: Sujatha is still haunted by the terrifying memory of being trapped in front of a wild elephant after a landslide swept away her house. Having narrowly escaped the flash floods, she ran through the forest clutching her granddaughter to her chest, only to come face-to-face with the elephant. Her house, which was about 300 meters from Chooralmala market, no longer exists. Sujatha, her son Suresh, daughter Sujitha, and Sujitha’s daughter Mridula are currently staying at a relief camp in Meppadi panchayat. Sujatha recounted the harrowing day, asking not to be reminded of it again.

“My son Suresh works as a carpenter and was in Meppadi for his job at the time. His wife was staying at her family’s home. When the floodwaters struck around 2 a.m. and swept our house away, it was just me, my daughter Sujitha, and her little girl Mridula at home. We were dragged along by the current but somehow managed to grab hold of something and escape. After that, we ran through the tea plantations and dense forests, holding the baby tightly, desperate to survive. A little further ahead, the forest grew even thicker — and suddenly, we found ourselves face-to-face with a wild elephant.

After surviving such a huge disaster, we couldn’t believe we now had to face this. We stood still, hands folded in prayer. I don’t know how long we stayed like that. The elephant didn’t harm us; it just lingered nearby for hours. At some point, I must have fallen asleep. By the time dawn broke, the elephant was gone. Later, rescue teams found us and brought us to the relief camp. We’re now staying at the panchayat shelter. I’ve heard that a house has been sanctioned for us — that brings some comfort,” Sujatha recalled.