IDUKKI: Several areas in the district were inundated with the continuous downpour for the past three days in Idukki affecting normal life.The administration, as a precautionary measure, ordered schools and Anganawadis to remain shut on Tuesday also. The district received a total of 71.64 mm rain on Monday. Peerumade Taluk received the highest amount of rainfall at 112 mm, while Idukki, Udumbanchola, Devikulam and Thodupuzha received 89 mm, 38.4 mm, 86.6 mm and 38.2 mm rainfall, respectively.
A building collapsed in the heavy rain at Anachal near Munnar. The dilapidated four-storey building owned by Sharangatharan of Mekkodayil house, Anachal, collapsed around 4.30 pm. Since no one was in the building a huge tragedy was averted. It was later found out that the construction was carried out throwing all rules to the wind.
To avoid similar tragedies, construction above three stories are strictly banned in the area. But majority of the buildings here are four storeys. If the rain strengthens, other buildings and roads are under the threat of collapsing, experts say.Boating in Thekkady has been cancelled following a rise in the water level at the Mullaperiyar reservoir. Water level in the Mullaperiyar reservoir on Monday stood at 118.2 sq ft. Water level in Idukki reservoir rose up by two feet to 2,325.22 sq ft.
Shutters of the Malankara dam were opened when water level rose up to 41 metres on Tuesday.
The water in the Periyar River overflowed, putting the lives of people settled in the Chappathu, Upputhara areas into a standstill. A flood like situation experienced in Vandiperiyar after the National Highway got submerged in water.Traffic was disrupted for hours after a landslip occurred at Kallarkutty near the new bridge area. Boulders and mud were removed after the fire force and the police reached the spot.
Worsening the existing agrarian crisis in the district, the incessant rains across the district over the past three days have ravaged more than 126 hectares of rabi crop including cardamom and pepper.
As per initial estimates, the rain damaged crops worth about Rs 2 crore. The rain has damaged the crops cultivated by farmers for the Onam season. As many as 841 farmers in the Idukki, Udumbanchola, Devikulam and Peerumade taluk incurred loss from agriculture this season from heavy rain.
