The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rains in Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargode districts. It has issued an orange alert in the localities. A yellow warning prevailed in Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts.
The government has warned that the extremely heavy and isolated rainfall forecast for Kerala could cause life-threatening water rises, mud slips, flash floods, uprooted trees, snapped power lines, inundated neighbourhoods, displaced families, treacherous travel conditions and damage to buildings and loss of crops and livestock over the next 24 hours.
Red alert in five dams in Idukki
The government expedited the evacuation of scores of families living in flood-prone areas downstream of at least five dams in Kerala. They are Ponmudi, Lower Periyar, Kallarkutty, Irattayar and Kundala dams . The barriers in the Idukki district remained under red alert.
An orange alert prevailed in Peringalkuthu, Sholayar, Meenkara and Mangalam dams. The administration has warned that incessant rain in the catchment area could drastically increase water inflow into Idukki and Kaki reservoirs.
The authorities have opened the shutters of the Thenmala dam in the Kollam district by a minimal 5 cm. They have warned people on either side of the Kallada river to exercise caution.
Rains slacken in some areas
The government has ruled out the immediate release of water from the Malampuzha dam after the rain over the catchment area showed signs of slackening.
Abating rain has caused the Tamil Nadu government to reduce the amount of water released from the Aliyar dam, bringing relief to people living on the banks of the Bharatapuzha river.
Providential escape
However, the floor situation in Kuttanad remained grim. A four-member family had a providential escape when floodwaters swept away their car at Parachal in Kottayam. Residents helped the family, including an infant, out of the car in time.
Floods dog Kerala
The State had barely emerged from the tail end of the catastrophic floods in 2018 and 2019 when another climate event posed a significant threat to Keralites.
Flood surviving tusker healthy
The Forest department has informed that the wild elephant caught in the floodwaters in Athirapally appeared healthy. The tusker’s protracted Herculean struggle to clamber out of the swirling waters against heavy odds seemed to epitomise Kerala’s effort to survive back-to-back floods.
Authorities on alert
The police, revenue authorities, local self-government institutions, volunteer rescue teams, civil defence units and the national disaster response force (NDRF) remained on high alert.
Monsoon toll
Monsoon fury has claimed 23 lives so far in the State. It destroyed 32 houses and damaged 237. The administration has opened 212 relief camps. So far, the authorities have accommodated 6,285 families in the State-run shelters.
