KALPETTA: Incessant rainfall across the high-risk zones of Punchirimattam, Mundakkai, and Puthumala has once again stirred anxiety among residents of Chooralmala, still haunted by the catastrophic landslide of July 30, 2024, that claimed over 300 lives.
Though no fresh landslides have been officially confirmed, the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) has reported that mud and debris are being flushed downstream. These materials are believed to be remnants of last year’s tragedy, loosened by the saturated soil and now being gradually cleared by river flow.
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has noted a noticeable rise in the water level of the Punnapuzha river at Vellarimala. A minor earth slip was reported nearby, prompting authorities to begin relocating labourers from vulnerable plantations to safer locations.
Officials have reinforced that the relocated zones of Punchirimattam and Mundakkai remain strictly off-limits to habitation, although some agricultural activities continue within the periphery.
Wednesday morning saw several estate workers stranded due to swelling river currents that inundated local paths, especially near the Bailey Bridge set up by the army after the 2024 landslide. Floating debris, including uprooted trees and boulders, intensified concerns of a possible fresh landslide in the Vellarimala hills.
Kalpetta MLA T Siddique stated that residents were alarmed by changes in river flow patterns, particularly shifts in colour and sound, which often precede landslide activity. “So far, we’ve received no confirmation of new landslides in forest areas uphill of Punchirimattam,” he said.