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At least six people, including children, were killed in accidents connected to heavy rain and flooding in several parts of Kerala on Saturday, August 1.
Heavy rain triggered floods and multiple landslips across Kerala, as per reports. The landslips and floods mostly hit three districts, Pathanthitta, Idukki and Kottyam. Several people were rescued following separate landslips in Idukki and Kottayam districts.
Six people who lost their lives are from different districts. A mother and her son died when their house collapsed in Poonjar, Kottayam. In Kolahalamedu, Idukki, a man was killed in a landslide that struck his home. A woman lost her life due to a landslip in Adoormala.
In Kondotti, Malappuram, a four-year-old boy was swept away by floodwaters. An 11-year-old boy reportedly drowned after falling into a waterhole in Vakathanam, Kottayam.
After two persons went missing in Muthalapozhi, Thiruvananthapuram, the Coast Guard has begun a search operation.
Ranni in Pathanamthitta district has been flooded due to heavy rain, and the government has deployed the fire force and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to assist in the area. Aranmula, another location in Pathanamthitta, is also facing flooding and is struggling due to a lack of sufficient rescue personnel.
Abin Varky, the MLA from Aranmula, stated that he has requested the government to send more rescue operators to Aranmula. “Fire forces from Kollam and Alappuzha have been deployed. All arrangements have been made to open relief camps if needed. If the rain came one more time, it would be difficult in Aranmula. Now things are at a manageable level,” he told the media.
Due to heavy rain and flooding in the Pampa River in Pathanamthitta, along with the risk of landslides, the Travancore Devaswom Board advises devotees who plan to visit Sabarimala on August 2 and 3 for Niraputhari to reconsider their visit.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that extremely heavy rains will continue in the coming hours. A red warning is currently in effect in nine districts of the state, including Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Idukki, Kottayam, Thrissur, and Pathanamthitta. The remaining five districts have been placed under orange warning.
Many tourist spots have been closed due to the rain alerts. Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram, Palaruvi and Kumbhavurutty in Kollam, Athirappilly in Thrissur, Nelliyampathy in Palakkad, and many tourist spots in Ernakulam have been closed.
