Heavy rain brought parts of Kerala to a halt for the fourth consecutive day with an reinvigorated southwest monsoon continuing to batter central and north Kerala on Thursday, triggering minor landslips in Kannur district and aggravating the coastal erosion along the coastline of the State.
As many as 2,531 people were shifted to 112 relief camps in the State so far with Pathanamthitta witnessing the highest number of 52 camps accommodating 1,085 inmates.
A total of 29 houses were fully damaged in various rain-related incidents while 642 houses were partially damaged. In Thiruvananthapuram, a 15-year-old student identified as Akshay, a Class 10 student at Vithura Higher Secondary School, drowned in a pond while taking a bath in the morning at Aryanad.
In another incident, a 17-year-old, identified as Aditya Biju, drowned while taking a bath in a rainwater-filled pond near Thrikkodithanam at Changanassery in Kottayam. At Aymanom, a 73-year-old man, identified as Bhanu Kurumban, lost his life after falling into an inundated waterbody.
In Kannur, the heavy rain triggered landslips at two places in the forest area of Vaithalkund between Paithalmala and Kappimala, putting people residing in adjoining Vellad village in Taliparamba taluk on high alert. No casualties have been reported so far.
However, the landslip has caused widespread crop damage. In Kozhikode, the disaster management squad shifted 18 families from a tribal hamlet in Kodenchery panchayat following landslip threat.
In Kochi, hundreds, including women and children, residing in Kannamaly and nearby wards blocked the Pandikudi-Chellanam road for six hours in the morning demanding measures to protect their houses from rough sea attack. The protest was called off later after the district administration promised to initiate necessary measures, including setting up geobags to check seawater intrusion.
In Alappuzha, most parts of upper Kuttanad and parts of Kuttanad were under flood water following a significant rise in water levels in various rivers in the region. An increase in flow of floodwaters from the eastern side inundated a large number of houses there forcing people to shift to safer places.
Water levels in all major rivers in the region including the Pampa, Achencoil and Manimala remained above the danger level on the day. Swell waves also pounded the coastal areas of Alappuzha and Thrissur.
High tidal waves are wreaking havoc along the coastal areas of Kodungalloor and Chavakkad taluks, where sand and sea water entered many houses in the coastal region.
Meanwhile, the intensity of rain abated in south Kerala, while central and North Kerala bore the brunt of the rain on Thursday.
Four stations in Kerala witnessed extreme heavy rainfall events (20.4 cm rain in 24 hours which is potential enough to create flashfloods) with Vellarikkundu in Kasaragod recording the highest rainfall of 24 cm in the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Thursday followed by Mahe (22 cm), and Thalassery and Peringome both in Kannur (21 cm each).
The intensity of rain is likely to weaken from Friday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an yellow alert in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod on Friday warning of isolated heavy rains.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea as squally weather with wind speed reaching 40-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is likely to prevail over the entire Kerala coast on Friday and Saturday.
High waves in the range of 3.5 - 4.3 metres are also forecast till 11.30 p.m. on Friday along the Kerala coast between Vizhinjam to Kasaragod. A holiday was declared for all educational institutions (including Anganwadi, ICSE/CBSE schools and madrasa) including professional colleges in Kannur on Friday as well.
