Alappuzha: Water level started receding in most parts of Chengannur on Tuesday, and people have begun cleaning their deluged homes.
In Punthalathazham of Venmony panchayat, the water level went down by two inches from five-feet Deccan Chronicle found while travelling with Indian Army rescuers on Monday.
People can now move around their house premises quite easily. Over 800 people were living here, and many were in a life and death situation.
Many women came out and walked up to jawans through the knee-deep water to collect relief materials.
A resident working as an engineer in Dubai said he remained home during the deluge as he wanted to save his belongings and significant relief is in sight now.
"Like life, the property was equally important for me," he said.
If there's no fresh bout of rains, the water would entirely leave their places in two days.
When travelled in an Innova car from Mambra to Chengannur on Tuesday, instead of a Torres used three days ago, Deccan Chronicle saw many houses either side tumbled.
Vehicles passed by, though there was water on the road. In Elanjimel and Peringilipuram, people have started going back to their homes.
Mostly women, they scrambled for relief materials, shouting they had lost everything.
In a camp in Elanjimel, a man lost his temper and accused the Army men of discrimination against them, compared to others.
Syed Ashed Ahmed, captain of the VIII Engineering, said his senior had told him to finish the job by the evening.
"Now things are under control of state administration," he told Deccan Chronicle.
Aby Kuriakose, a Congress party activist, said the post-flood challenge was cleaning up houses. "My house has knee-deep sledge right now. People have already started removing muck."
