IDUKKI: The opening of the major dams, including Idukki, Mullaperiyar and Idamalayar, due to heavy downpour has led to the inundation of several low-lying areas and overflowing of rivers, rivulets and streams. It has been continuously pouring in the district since June, as a result, for the past 48 hours alone at least 10 persons were killed in the landslides apart from seven people who are missing. The district administration has declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Friday.
As per the official estimates, the death toll due to rain fury since June has crossed 30. Major landslides were reported from Vellathooval, Karimban near Cheruthony and Pachady near Nedumkandam. At least three persons of a family were killed in a landslide at Karimban. The deceased have been identified as V J Gorge of Vattappara, his wife Annakkutty and daughter Kunjumol. Kunjumol’s child and husband fortunately escaped the mishap.
The landslide at Pachady near Nedumkandam took away the lives of three members of a family - Peter Thomas, 72, of Tharavila house, wife Rosamma, 70, and Rosamma’s daughter-in-law Joly, 43.One person died in the landslide at Vellathooval. However, rescue operations are underway to find the four people who went missing. Four houses were completely washed away in the landslide. Other residents have been shifted to rehabilitation camps. A woman was killed at Kuzhitholu after a huge uprooted tree fell upon her. The victim Latha, wife of Biju of Palamparambil house, died while she was working at a cardamom plantation. In a major mishap at Munnar on Wednesday, 30-year-old Madanakumar working at a hotel at Munnar was killed when earth and boulders from a nearby hill fell on the Sharavanabhavan Hotel. There were at least 9 employees working at the hotel. However, except Madanakumar, the rest were able to escape.
In Ellackal near Kunjithanny in Devikulam, an after an 85-year-old woman named Elizabeth was killed in a landslip. The search for Sarojiniyamma of Keerithodu, who was trapped inside in a landslip on Wednesday is on. However, her body has not been recovered yet.
Peerumade taluk recorded 349.0 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours and major rivers including Periyar are overflowing. Upputhara, Chappathu and Vandiperiyar areas through which Periyar flows have been submerged and vehicles are barred from plying through the route. More than 1,000 families were relocated from these regions as hundreds of houses got fully submerged.
Hundreds of acres of agricultural land, particularly cardamom, tea, tapioca and banana plantations, were submerged under water.The Kochi - Dhanushkodi and the Kottarakkara - Dindigul National Highways faced the wrath of heavy landslides with parts of the road, including the metal barriers, being destroyed.
The police had to divert the traffic on this usually-busy road by tying plastic ropes and warning motorists about the dangerous spots.
Seven dead at Nenmara
Palakkad: At least seven persons were killed when three houses at Cherumcode, Aluvasseri near Pothundi dam in Nenmara taluk got buried in the landslide triggered by heavy rain. The deceased are the families of Cherumcode Unnikrishnan and Gangadharan while the household of Manikandan had a miraculous escape. The deceased are Aluvasseri natives Gangadharan, 55; his wife Subhadra, 50; children Athira,24 and Arya, 17 and a 28-day-old baby boy Arya. Others who lost their life in the calamity are Abhijith, 25 and Anitha, 28, children of, the late, Cherumcode Unnikrishnan. Arya’s body has been kept at the district hospital.
Death toll in Malappuram rises to 45
Malappuram: With eight more persons dying in two rain-related incidents, the death toll has risen to 45 in the district on Thursday. Seven persons died at Odakkayam tribal colony near Areekode after landslides and flash floods washed away a few houses. Revenue Department officers have identified the victims as Sundaran, 45, Sarojini, 45, Unnikrishnan, 28, Chinju, 20, Chirutha, 20, Shibila, 6, and Matha. The landslip occurred on Thursday early morning.
A rescue team, which included army personnel, saved two persons and they were taken to hospital with injuries. In another incident of landslide and flash flood, Nisha, 30, died after her house got wrecked at Kulappad in Edavanna village of Eranad taluk. The tragic incident occurred on Thursday morning.
Body of missing boy found
Kozhikode: The body of a seven-year-old boy, who had been missing from Iyyad near Balussery, was found in the canal in Elettil Vattoli near Koduvally on Thursday. According to the police, Muhammed Yasin, son of Muhammed Kutty, had gone missing from his school around 4 pm on August 13. The boy was a student of Global Public school, Iyyad.
4 killed in Kottayam; 17,729 shifted to relief camps
Kottayam: The unprecedented rain, and rampant landslips and landslides are wrecking havoc across Kottayam. In two days, it has claimed at least four lives, and destroyed houses and agriculture. With the major rivers, including the Meenachil, Manimala, Moovattupuzha and their tributaries in full spate, hundreds of houses, shops and several acres of farmlands are inundated in various areas, including in Pala town. The district administration has opened 147 relief camps across the district and shifted more than 17,729 people from 4,474 to the camps.
A landslip in Vellikulam, near Theekkoy in the downstream of Vagamon hills, killed four of a seven-member family, while three others were admitted to a hospital with serious injuries. The deceased were identified as Rosamma, 85, of Palliparambil house; daughter Molly, 49; her children Tintu, 9, and Alphonsa, 7.
Five killed, several injured in Kozhikode
Kozhikode: Nine people, including two children, were killed in landslide and rain-related incidents in the district on Thursday. In an incident at 2 am, two members of a family were killed and four others were injured after they were swept away in a flash flood triggered by a landslide at Kalpini in Koodaranhi panchayat. The deceased are Prakashan, 45, and son Prabin Prakash, 20. Prabin was a student of St Sebastian’s School, Koodaranhi. Two children were killed and five persons were injured in a landslip at Oorkadavu near Mavoor in the district. Fathima Ishana, 5, and Tanha, 2, are the deceased. The incident occurred at around 5.30 am when a wall of mud came crashing down on their house. Resna Aslam, 20, son of Muhammed, drowned in flood water at Puthoormadam near Pantheerankavu here around noon.
Landslides shake up Thrissur; nine killed
Thrissur: Several people are reported missing in the landslides which have hit ecologically fragile zones of Kuranchery, Kuthiran and Cheruthuruthy, in Thrissur on Thursday.
Nine people in Kuranchery were killed and three were missing in the Harijan colony of Pallom in Cheruthuruthy as landslides damaged houses and trapped people inside. As the landslide occurred early in the morning, authorities were unaware of people trapped here. The continuous rain has made rescue operations difficult.
Fisherman drowns in river
Kannur: A fisherman drowned in Ramanthali river near Payyannur in the district on Wednesday. Bhaskaran, 56, of Pandaravalappil near Payyannur, drowned after he and his friend Balan went fishing in the river in a canoe at night. A strong wave turned the canoe upside down causing both of them to fall into the river. Though Balan escaped, Bhaskaran drowned in the river. The body was later recovered on Thursday morning by local residents.