Torrential Downpours Claim Life and Submerge Kerala Districts in Chaos
Intensifying monsoon conditions across Kerala have triggered widespread flooding and waterlogging, resulting in at least one fatality and extensive disruptions, particularly in Idukki district, authorities reported on Sunday.
The victim, 66-year-old Parappallil Thomas, lost his life late Saturday when a landslide buried his motorcycle under a cascade of mud near Vellaramkunnu in Idukki. He had been heading home after securing his shop for the evening at the time of the tragic incident.
In the hill station of Kumily, renowned for its Thekkady eco-tourism attractions, the deluge caused severe inundation, uprooting power lines, submerging key roads, sweeping vehicles downstream, and inundating residences. Local officials promptly suspended all tourism operations in the area to safeguard visitors and residents.
As the rains persisted, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued alerts for multiple regions. Sunday saw orange warnings—indicating heavy to very heavy rainfall—for six districts, but by Monday, these were scaled back to Ernakulam and Idukki alone. Yellow alerts for moderate showers covered all other districts except Kannur and Kasaragod over the coming day.
The IMD attributes the escalation to a well-defined low-pressure system brewing over the southeast Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area. Forecasters anticipate it will shift west-northwest and strengthen into a full depression within the next 24 hours.
In response, the IMD urged district authorities to assess risks and relocate communities from low-lying zones to secure locations based on the evolving warnings.
Further complicating matters, the Tamil Nadu government, which manages the Mullaperiyar dam, released water from its gates early Sunday to manage rising levels fueled by upstream downpours. Residents along the reservoir’s feeder rivers and streams received directives to seek elevated ground.
Beyond Idukki, Sunday’s heavy precipitation also battered Pathanamthitta, Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Kannur districts. In Malappuram, floodwaters ravaged numerous agricultural fields, inflicting significant harm to crops.