Stranded devotees from DK, Udupi in Potta, believed to be safe

• 1,500 pilgrims extricated from campus in boats
• 200 people from DK and Udupi have reached home safely

Mangaluru/Kerala: All 1,500 pilgrims, including devotees from Dakshina Kannada (DK) and Udupi districts, stranded at the Divine Retreat Centre at Potta in Kerala are believed to be safe. All the pilgrims were extricated from the campus in boats on Sunday morning August 19^th.

Attempts of establishing communication between the stranded and their family members was dashed due to power outage and downed mobile networks.

Devine Retreat Centre, a Christian meditation and healing institution at  at Muringoor, Chalakudy  in Thrissur District of Kerala was submerged up to the first floor inundating the kitchens where the institution’s cooks food for at least 5,000 devotees per day. The inundation brought down all electrical, phone and internet facilities.

With the kitchen inundated, the stranded pilgrims survived on bread and water for the last five days. The Vincentian Catholic priests who run the centre finally managed to get a helicopter to drop some food.

Meanwhile, according to the messages doing the rounds on social media, 200 people from DK and Udupi have reached home safely.