Nilambur and neighbouring places witnessed flash floods on Saturday evening as it rained heavily in the region. The rain that started by mid-day continued through the night.
Many areas were submerged in the rainwater. Floodwaters entered many shops at Nilambur. The KNG road saw flash floods as Jyothipadi, Janatapadi, Minarvapadi, Veliyamthodu, and Mathimoola were submerged.
Water entered shops at Veliyamthodu and Minarvapadi. Vehicular traffic was affected.
The Odayikkal regulator shutters at Mambad were opened. People living near the regulator bridge at Pookkottumanna, Chungathara, were in fear as the rain intensified.
The entire Nilambur region is considered extremely vulnerable to floods. The region suffered heavily in the floods in 2018 and 2019. The consecutive floods had destabilised many areas.
People in the region are living under constant threat of landslides. Major landslides in the forested hills will lead to floods in the Chaliyar and its tributaries like Karimpuzha, Kuthirapuzha, Vaniyampuzha, Kanhirapuzha, Kuruvanpuzha, Punnappuzha, Kalakkanpuzha, Cherupuzha, Kottapuzha, and Karakkodanpuzha.
Kavalappara, Pathaar and the Nadugani ghat road had suffered heavily in last year’s rains. As many as 59 people had been buried alive at Kavalappara alone in a gigantic mudslip.
