The Santhanpara grama panchayat, near Munnar, in Idukki witnessed a series of landslips following an extremely heavy rainfall on Sunday evening. According to officials, over 50 acres of agricultural land were washed away at Pethotty, Dhalam, Ayyanpara, and Cheriyar in the Santhanpara panchayat. Seven houses were partially damaged and two vehicles were washed away. The Pethotty-Santhanpara road was destroyed after a massive amount of soil and rock fell on it after the landslip.
Udumbanchola tahsildar Jose A.V. said the area experienced heavy rain from Sunday evening. “There was light rain in the panchayat from 3 p.m.. But, from 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m., the rainfall was particularly heavy, which resulted in heavy damage. We suspect that a cloud burst occurred in the area on Sunday night,” said Mr. Jose.
25 families to be shifted
“The Santhanpara agricultural officer will submit a detailed report to the District Collector over the loss of farmland after the landslips. The Revenue department will shift 25 families to the Santhanpara Government High School,” said Mr. Jose.
Meanwhile, a 59-year-old cardamom estate worker was killed when the earth caved in on a shed at Cheriyar, near Santhanpara, on Sunday night. According to officials, Thankappanpara resident Roy, who was sleeping inside a room, was killed on the spot. A migrant worker who was sleeping in another room narrowly escaped.
Streams overflow
According to local people, due to heavy rain, the streams in the panchayat area overflowed and flooded houses. The house of Pethotty resident Kachirayil Mini was flooded around 9 p.m. after a landslip in the area. Local people shifted the family after their house was partially destroyed. A vehicle parked in front of the house was washed away. The house of Dhalam resident Lingeshwaran too was partially destroyed a vehicle, washed away.
Santhanpara panchayat President Liju Varghese said the panchayat had never experienced such severe damage in landslips. “Even in the 2018 August flood, the area was not affected much. But within a few hours of rain on Sunday, the panchayat areas witnessed large-scale damage. We need to shift over 100 people, including migrant workers, to the camp at Santhanpara government school,” said Mr. Varghese.
District Collector Sheeba George visited the landslip-affected areas in the Santhanpara panchayat on Monday. Considering the chances of landslips and mudslips in the Munnar-Kumily route, the Collector banned night travel on the Udumbanchola-Cheriyar stretch of the Kumily -Munnar State Highway. “Night travel will be suspended from Monday evening until further notice,” she said.
