Rain wreaks havoc in Kerala, several areas flooded; three dead

In Kollam district in southern Kerala, Govindraj, an estate labourer in Nagamala near Thenmala, drowned in a stream whose waters rose rapidly due to the heavy showers.

The IMD has issued a code orange alert, indicating ‘isolated heavy to very heavy’ rainfall for nine out of the 14 districts on Tuesday and Wednesday, including Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragode.

The code orange alert has been issued for five districts on Thursday. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Kottayam will experience only moderate rainfall.

Commuters make way through the water-logged roads in Kozhikode, Kerala. (Express photo)

The IMD had said on October 10, “A cyclonic circulation lies over East Central Arabian Sea and extends upto mid tropospheric level tilting southwestwards with height. It is very likely to persist during the next three to four days and an east-west trough at lower levels runs from cyclonic circulation over north Andaman sea to cyclonic circulation over east central Arabian Sea. Under its influence, isoslated and very heavy rainfall is very likely over Kerala and Mahe from October 12 to October 14.”

According to IMD data, the Karippur airport station in Malappuram recorded the heaviest rainfall of 254.9 mm, followed by Kozhikode city station with 216 mm and Kannur station with 166.2 mm. Punalur station in Kollam district also recorded an excess of 100 mm rainfall.

On Tuesday, heavy rain caused flooding and waterlogging in various parts of the state. Many areas of Kozhikode city and suburbs were affected by the waterlogging and dozens of homes, especially in rural and coastal areas, submerged underwater.

Commuters wade through a waterlogged road during heavy rain in Kozhikode, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. (PTI)

Kozhikode Collector Dr Narasimhugari TL Reddy announced that control rooms have been opened at the taluk level to address the woes of people battling waterlogging and flooding. Camps have also been opened in Kozhikode, Koyilandy and Vadakara taluks. Warning of heavier rain for the next four days in the district, the Collector said people in low-lying areas near rivers and streams must relocate to homes of their relatives or camps opened by the government if they sense the danger of flooding. He said people must show a willingness to relocate to camps in areas with threats of landslide and landslip.

In Thrissur district, areas around Athirappilly and Chalakudy witnessed heavy flooding reminiscent of the 2019 monsoon. The Athirappilly tourist centre and the waterfall was closed to the public, with the Chalakudy river flowing in spate.

Thrissur Collector Haritha V Kumar said that control rooms have been opened in seven taluks of the district. Ten houses were completely submerged in the Koodapuzha area, and the families in those homes have been shifted to nearby camps. She said the traffic on the Chalakudy-Malakkapara road was suspended after the area was flooded.

Rehabilitation measures were taken at a meeting convened by Revenue Minister and district-in-charge K Rajan.