‘Mentally exhausting’: Prasanth Alexander forced to abandon Pathanamthitta house after floods

“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,” Prasanth Alexander told Onmanorama.

The first blow came during the devastating 2018 Kerala floods, when the family suffered losses exceeding Rs 2 lakh. Three years later, flash floods in Mundakkayam and silt accumulation near a bridge in their area made the waterlogging worse, damaging the interiors of the house all over again. Now, in 2026, the waters have returned.

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Prasanth Alexander said the repeated flooding took the heaviest toll on his wife and children, who spent most of their time at the house while he was away for work. “The repeated flooding took a heavy toll on my wife and children. Since they spent most of their time at home without me, the anxiety kept growing,” he said, adding, “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.”

But moving away has not brought peace. Prasanth said the worry remains constant, especially with each monsoon season. “The interiors were badly damaged during the previous floods. This time too, we are expecting extensive restoration work,” he said. “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.”

What makes the situation harder to accept, Prasanth Alexander said, is that when he built the house in 2018, the area was not considered flood-prone. “Then came the 2018 floods. Even after that, we believed it was a rare occurrence that wouldn’t happen again. But it keeps happening. That is what is truly heartbreaking,” he said.

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He said people in flood-affected areas have been forced to adapt over the years, not because they have found answers but because they have no other 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.

The actor added that even relief camps are struggling to handle the number of displaced families. “This time, many people are staying in camps because they have been completely cut off by floodwaters,” he said, adding, “Earlier, people could move in with relatives living elsewhere. Now, even the roads connecting different regions are submerged, forcing more families to seek shelter in relief camps.”

Prasanth Alexander was last seen in the Malayalam film Lurk. He is expected to begin the shoot of director Abrid Shine’s next film in September.