KOCHI: Two days of incessant rain have made life miserable in tribal areas of Kuttampuzha in Kothamangalam taluk. According to Kuttampuzha Forest authorities, the rescue workers have not been able to reach tribal colonies as water level rose in pooyamkutty river submerging the two bund roads connecting the tribal areas with the outside world. As the river is in full spate, rescue workers could not cross at Blavana Kadavu making the forest areas inaccessible.
There were four landslides near Thalavachapara tribal colony in Kuttampuzha forest area. A ration shop and a house were damaged in the landslide, while a culvert was washed away. Water entered 40 houses at Vellaramkuthu and Panthapra colonies. Three houses were partially damaged as trees fell. The families have shifted to nearby houses.
The water level in pooyamkutty river rose by around four feet on Thursday morning because of a landslide at Mangulam in Idukki district. The Forest staff from Kuttampuzha are also stranded at Anakkulam Forest Station in Mangulam. Though the water started receding in the afternoon, heavy rain continued to batter the high ranges on Thursday evening.
Around 20 families in Pinavoorkudi tribal settlement colony remain cut off as the road connecting the colony with Kuttampuzha is submerged. “We have to purchase essentials from the other side of the river. However, there is no way to cross the river due to the heavy flow,” said Girish of Uriampatti colony.
The culvert on the road leading to the colony was damaged and there is no way to shift patients to a hospital in case of an emergency,” said Girish of Uriampatti tribal colony.