KOCHI: Torrential rain battered Kerala, triggering a series of landslides, resulting in flash flooding and leaving a trail of devastation. Seven people died in rain-related incidents on Saturday, of which four were caught in debris flow following landslides, while three children drowned.
The central districts of Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Kottayam bore the maximum brunt of the rain fury, which revived memories of the catastrophic deluge of 2018 that left 483 people dead, displaced a million and ravaged homes and infrastructure.
The rain that started around 11pm on Friday pummelled the eastern parts of southern Kerala for hours, causing rivers to breach banks by around 2.30am. As floodwater began entering houses and shops, panic spread in towns and villages located along the banks, with people scrambling for their lives. Floods inundated towns, including Ranni, Vadaserikkara and Pala.
As many as 65 relief camps have been opened across the state, sheltering 1,465 people.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast that the intensity of the rain will reduce from Sunday, and that the southern districts of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam are out of danger as the cloud band has moved to the north. Though the intensity of the rain will decrease, the flood situation in districts north of Thrissur will remain grim on Sunday as the rivers are in spate due to intense rain received over the past two days.
Among the seven victims, four died in landslides in Kottayam and Idukki districts, while three drowned in Malappuram and Kottayam districts.
Regina Johnny of Poonjar Thekkekara panchayat in Kottayam and her son Josephine, 24, died after a portion of their house was destroyed in a landslide.
Sumathy, 69, was killed after a landslide buried her house at Adurmala in Idukki.
State prepared, disaster mgmt network fully equipped: CM
In Kolahalamedu of Vagamon, Prabhakaran Nair, 72, who was staying at the house of his relative, died after a landslide destroyed a portion of the house.
In separate incidents, Abdul Muhaini, 3, and Adam Aymen, 4, drowned after they were caught in the heavy flow of streams in Malappuram district. Milan K Shinu of Thottakkad in Vakathanam panchayat, Kottayam, died after he fell into a waterlogged pit. In related incidents, one person was electrocuted in Wayanad, and the body of a fisherman who went missing in the sea off the Kollam coast two days ago was recovered on Saturday.
Landslides were reported at multiple places in Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam, disrupting vehicular traffic along the Kochi-Dhanushkodi, Kottarakara-Dindigul and Kutttikanam-Kattapana highways.
The floodgates of the dams at Pambla, Kallarkutty and Malankara were opened due to heavy inflow. Panic spread in Pathanamthitta on Saturday morning as Ranni and Vadasserikkara towns on the Sabarimala pilgrimage route were inundated and vehicles were caught in the deluge. Dinghies, coracles and fishing boats from coastal districts were bought to rescue people trapped in houses on the banks of the Pampa after the water level rose by 10 feet at many places.
The relentless weather system wreaked havoc on northern Kerala as well. In Kannur, extensive search and rescue operations are under way for two missing individuals — a 40-year-old man who fell into the raging Kanjirapuzha river, and a swimming instructor swept away while attempting a rescue at Pulingome. The downpour paralysed vehicular movement along key transit arteries in Malappuram, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod. Overflowing rivers in Kozhikode inundated portions of the Kozhikode-Mysuru NH at Engapuzha.
The tourist destination of Vagamon recorded 314 mm rainfall on Friday night while Vadasserikkara recorded 331 mm rain. Vazhikadavu recorded 308mm, Laha in Pathanamthitta 236mm and Ayyankunnu in Kannur 223mm. Around 50 stations in the state have recorded over 100mm rainfall over the eight hours starting 11pm on Friday. Anakkampoyil in Kozhikode recorded 340 mm rainfall over 35 hours while Meppadi in Wayanad district recorded 177mm.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan said the state was prepared to face any emergency situation, and the disaster management network was fully equipped to overcome any eventuality. The government has stepped up its disaster response, directing ministers to camp in the worst-affected districts and personally oversee relief and rescue operations. The decision was taken after the CM reviewed the evolving rain situation with ministers and district collectors.
Minister C P John will coordinate the relief operations in Thiruvananthapuram, while P C Vishnunadh is in charge of Pathanamthitta, Mons Joseph in Kottayam and Anoop Jacob in Idukki.
(With inputs from bureaus)
Flood-affected areas
P’thitta: Ranni, Vadasserikkara, Aranmula
Kottayam: Poonjar, Pala, Erattupetta, Ponkunnam
Idukki: Adurmala, Adimali, Peruvanthanam, Kattapana, Kanchiyar, Vagamon, Vazhavara, Cheruthoni
Alappuzha: Chengannur
Kasaragod: Thayyeni, Vaykkanam, Ottakuzhy
Kannur: Kanjirappuzha
Wayanad: Kavumandam, Sugandhagiri