Cinema VinesActor Prasanth Alexander’s dream home in Malappally, built in 2018, has become a recurring nightmare as it has flooded for the third time in just eight years. The relentless monsoon rains turned the house that once symbolised a long‑cherished aspiration into a place of repeated devastation. Though the family has since moved to a top‑floor apartment in Thiruvalla, the emotional toll remains heavy.
Prasanth, who is married to English professor Sheeba Prasanth of Mar Thoma College, shared a video reel on social media detailing the latest flood. “It is true that this time we have not been physically affected because we are no longer staying there. But mentally, it is exhausting. This is the third time floodwaters have entered our house,” he told Onmanorama, recalling losses of more than ₹2 lakh when the 2018 floods hit the area.
The family’s ordeal began in 2018 when the house was submerged during a severe flood that followed a heavy monsoon season. A second flood in 2021, caused by flash floods in Mundakkayam and silt buildup near a bridge, further worsened waterlogging in their neighbourhood. The repeated inundations took a heavy toll on Prasanth’s wife and children, who spent most of their time at home while he was away.
“The anxiety kept growing. Eventually, my wife suggested that we shift to Thiruvalla, which is comparatively safer. We bought an apartment there and now live on the top floor,” Prasanth explained. Despite the move, the worry never fully dissipated. He said, “The interiors were badly damaged during the previous floods. This time too, we are expecting extensive restoration work. I can only visit the house once the water recedes. But even after we clean and repair everything, there is always the fear that September or October rains could bring the same ordeal all over again.”
Prasanth reflects on how people in flood‑prone regions have had to adapt out of necessity rather than choice. “We have slowly begun to accept this as our reality. We are stronger. There was a time when waterlogging was seen almost as an adventure. We never realised it was nature warning us. Today, it is no longer fun. It has become a lived reality,” he said. He also noted that when he built his home in 2018, the area had experienced a major flood nearly 25 years earlier, which was dismissed as a once‑in‑a‑generation event. The repeated flooding has shattered that perception.
Prasanth’s experience underscores the growing challenge of living in flood‑prone areas, where repeated natural disasters force families to confront the harsh reality that nature’s warnings cannot be ignored. As the monsoon season approaches, the family remains vigilant, hoping that the latest flood will be the last for their ancestral home.
