KOCHI: The heavy rain which has been lashing the district for the past two days has left many low-lying areas flooded, forcing people to shift to camps or houses of their relatives. On Thursday, the district administration opened four camps to house 24 families who have been affected by flooding.
According to sources, the camps are operating at Cheriyakadavu St Joseph Parish Hall, Kuttikkattukkara GUPS, Muvattupuzha Vazhappilli JB School, and Paravur Kunnukara GULPS. “So far, 291 houses have been damaged in the district during the monsoon season that began on May 24. Of these, seven houses were fully destroyed and 284 were partially destroyed. One house was fully and another was partially destroyed in the heavy rain that lashed the district on Thursday,” said a district administration source.
According to sources, around 45 families have been displaced due to flooding in Bosco Colony near IAC Kuttikkattukara in Eloor Municipality. “People are still moving out to safe places. Rainwater has been entering the Bosco Colony, Powerloom and Anganwadi areas of the municipality since 1 am on Thursday. At present, around 30 families have been displaced from here,” said sources. Camps have been opened at Kuttikkattukara Government UP School and the nearby Union Office. Some people have moved to their relatives’ houses.”
According to sources, water has been rising at Palara, Thuruthu and many other areas of Kadungaloor Panchayat (Wards 14 and 15) in Kalamassery Assembly constituency since Thursday noon. The previous time these areas were flooded was in 2018. Residents are pointing out that the failure to remove the silt accumulated in the Periyar due to the floods of 2018 and 2019 has reduced the depth of the Periyar leading to flooding.
Meanwhile, a person went missing while walking along Pooyamkutty Manikandanchal Chappath on Wednesday. “The search for Manikandanchal native Biju continued for the second day. The search, which began at 7am on Wednesday, led by the Fire Force Scuba Team and a 30-member team of NDRF, ended around 8 pm due to adverse weather conditions. On Thursday, five teams consisting of a Navy team, two NDRF teams, the Fire Force and two scuba teams conducted a widespread search in the areas from Manikandanchal to Bhoothathankettu.”
Water level in rivers rises
The water level in the rivers in the district has crossed the flood warning level and the danger level.
Due to continuous heavy rains, the shutters of the Malankara Dam have been opened and the water levels in the Muvattupuzha River and Thodupuzha River have crossed the danger level. The water level has exceeded the warning level at the Aluva Marthandavarma bridge and Kalady points in the Periyar River.
Manjallur village’s Madakathanam-Vaanarkavu Road, Manikandanchal Chappath and Blavana Kadathu in Kuttampuzha village, and Jawahar Colony and Mundupalam in Thrikkariyur village have been inundated.