The ongoing power outages in Kerala are throwing people’s lives into chaos

Image for representation. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT

With partial power outages continuing for the tenth consecutive time on Thursday amid a severe power crisis, life has become increasingly difficult for people. Load shedding was organized between 6.30pm and 1am, with power cuts disrupting people’s daily routine. Students in particular were badly affected as their study plans were thrown into disarray.

People doing routine household chores at night have also been hit hard by uninformed outages.

According to H. Vishnu, a Class X student at St. Mary’s, Pattom, power outages disrupted his study schedule and forced him to spend more time than usual completing or revising lessons. “A break, even if it is only for half an hour, disrupts the flow and rhythm of study,” said Mr. Vishnu.

“I have to devote more time to my two children during the night to ensure their comfort when they wake up suddenly when the power is cut,” said Seema Nair, a housewife from Sreekaryam.

The elderly and those with medical conditions are among those particularly affected, especially due to the state’s sweltering heat and humid conditions. “I had to climb all the stairs of my five-storey flat at night after the lift stopped working during the power cut,” said George Mathews, 68, a retired civil servant from Pattoor.

There have also been concerns about the safety of people, especially women, at night, especially when street lights are not working properly. Even walking through the bus stand in Thampanoor, in the heart of the city, has become a daunting task at night due to insufficient lighting, said Emily Joy, who works in a textile shop in the city. “Extended blackouts at regular intervals will be useful for unscrupulous elements in public spaces,” Ms Joy said.

Another section badly affected by the blackout is the migrant and floating people community in the city. Most of them relied on induction cookers for cooking during the LPG crisis and the absence of gas connections. Power outages disrupted their cooking plans.

“People who use induction cookers now cannot prepare food during the night or have to cook in advance,” said Ahammed Rafiq, a migrant worker from West Bengal.

Published – 10 Sep 2026 23:17 IST