Heavy rain drowns parts of central Kerala, red alert in Idukki district

Mangalore Today News Network

Kerala, Jul 29, 2020: A bout of heavy rainfall in parts of central and south Kerala starting Tuesday night has led to severe waterlogging, mudslides and major damage to property.

Orange-level rain alerts have been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Palakkad districts. A red alert has been sounded for the hilly Idukki district, particularly vulnerable to landslides. Starting Tuesday night, these districts have been experiencing isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall.

On July 30 (Thursday), orange-level alerts have been sounded for the northern districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod.

As a result of the downpour, several low-lying parts of the financial hub of Kochi came under water, suspending vehicular movement. Residents complained that the ongoing ‘operation breakthrough’ campaign of the Ernakulam district administration and the Kochi Corporation to desilt canals and provide channels for excess water to flow out has done nothing to prevent waterlogging in the city.

In the Edappally neighbourhood, a road caved under pressure of the rain, causing three cars to tumble sideways into a depth of 15 ft. In western parts of the city, residents in several households have had to move out after the rainwater flooded their homes.

The situation is also alarming in Thrissur district where several areas are witnessing waterlogging, causing inconvenience to the residents.

In Kottayam district, a mudslide was reported on the railway tracks at Muttambalam, dismantling a section of the electrical wiring. The popular Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur Venad Express was forced to turn back. The Kannur Janshatabdi was diverted through the alternate route through Alappuzha. Works are going on to restore railway movement.

The strengthening of the southwest monsoon comes incidentally at a time when the Covid-19 cases in the state are surging at a rapid pace. The state government, which has the experience of back-to-back floods, is exploring plans to open up relief camps where waterlogging is rampant. The downpour has also led to increase in water levels in rivers and reservoirs.



courtesy:IndianExpress