IDUKKI: Unexpected rain, which lashed across the district by Saturday evening, caused multiple landslides in Kumily apart from triggering landslips at various places on the Kottarakkara–Dindigul National Highway. The rain caused heavy destruction to vast tracts of agricultural land and the power connection to the area was also completely disrupted.
Traffic on the Kumily-Munnar route near Chakkupallam and on the Kumily-Kattappana route near Attappallam was disrupted after earth and boulders fell on the road.Though the district experienced a pleasant weather in morning, heavy rain started pouring down by 7 pm on Saturday. Torrential rain flooded roads and pathways. Flood water gushed into shops, business outlets and a Beverages outlet was also inundated at Attappallam near Kattappana.
Traffic was blocked at 1st Mile near Kumily with flood water submerging the junction diverging to Pathumuri and Chelimada. Several houses located on the banks of the Koluthupalam rivulet near the Kumily town were flooded after river was spate.
Flood water also entered the houses located in the Periyar Colony and the Attappallam Laksham Veedu Colony near Kumily. With torrential rain continuing well past 9 pm, residents evacuated their homes.
Heavy destruction to crops was reported from 2nd and 3rd Mile near Kumily.The police and the disaster management authorities are keeping a strict vigil on the climatic condition in the district and the department officers have been deployed in the landslide- and flood-prone areas in the district.