KOCHI: The Pooyamkutty river swelled following heavy rain on Monday evening cutting off the Kuttampuzha tribal areas from the outside world. Floodwater entered around 10 houses in Urulanthanni, Pinavoorkudi and Panthapra areas forcing people to move to safer places. The road connecting Pinavoorkudi and Urulanthanni to Kuttampuzha was also flooded blocking rescue workers from reaching the village.
According to Pinavoorkudi ward member Susheela Loujan, heavy rain started lashing the area from 2.30pm and there was a landslide in Urulanthanni forest area at 4.40pm. The water level in the Pooyamkutty river rose dangerously and water entered many houses on the banks. Fire and rescue workers rescued a woman and her son who were trapped in their house as the surrounding areas got flooded. However, the fire force vehicle got stuck as water entered the engine.
“The rains have just started and we have never witnessed such flooding in the past. The water level in the river rose suddenly and many people lost their belongings as water entered the houses in no time. There was a landslide at the same place last year also,” said Susheela.Two forest officers, Ramesh and Mohammed Salih who went to the forest to oversee the teak felling work, were trapped at Panthapra tribal colony as the river breached the banks and the Manikandanchal bridge got submerged. “As the bridge has submerged, we are not able to reach the outside world. It was raining from 2.30pm to 9pm and the water level has not subsided,” said Panthapra tribal head Kuttan Gopalan.