Kottayam: An elderly woman and a child were killed and 13 houses collapsed in Idukki district which saw heavy rain and landslips causing widespread destruction and disruption of traffic on Thursday. The district administration has opened 6 relief camps at Devikulam and one at Kattapana. A 40-member National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) is on its way to Idukki to help relief operations.
Jyothi, 71, a native of Cheduvara near Marayur died after she was washed away in floods. Her body was later recovered while one-and-half year old Manjusree died when her house collapsed in a landslide in Chinnacanal.
Earlier in the day, the district administration called in the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) following heavy rains and landslides in Munnar town as Muthirappuzha and Kannimala rivers were in spate.
Revenue officials evacuated 50 families to safe zones from Old Munnar after rain after flooding. Many families of Ikka Nagar and Nadyar road also shifted to camps and homes of relatives.
Due to the landslides, the vehicular traffic at various points on the Kochi - Dhanushkody national highway got disrupted. The vehicular traffic in the Old Munnar stopped after the rise of water.
The vehicular traffic was later reinstated, Idukki collector H. Dineshan said. Round the clock control rooms were opened in the Idukki collectorate and all taluk headquarters.
Vehicular traffic on the Munnar - Udumalpet interstate road got paralysed after the fall of a temporary bridge at Periyavala, which left seven estate workers marooned.
The Attukad estate near Munnar got isolated after the bridge was washed away in the water released from the headworks dam as Muthirappuzha River overflowed.
Water entered a private hospital at Ikka Nagar as Colony river overflowed. Munnar received 21.14 centimetres of rain over the last 24 hours. The authorities have banned tourists to the district.
Traffic hit as heavy rains, wind lash kottayam
The district administration opened a relief camp at Mundakayam as heavy rainfall continued in Kottayam district on Thursday.
Water reached Moonnani on the Ettumanoor – Poonjar highway, but did not enter the town. Poovarani on the Pala – Ponkunnam route reported widespread damage from heavy wind.
Vehicular traffic in various parts of Pala got disrupted after trees fell on the road in wind and heavy rainfall.
A landslide happened 150 metres away from Karikadu top in Teekoy village on Wednesday morning.
According to the district administration, 60 houses were damaged partially and six fully in Kottayam taluk, while 11 homes suffered damages in Changanacherry taluk, seven in Meenachil taluk, eight in Kanjirappally taluk and three in Vaikom taluk.
Kottayam district collector P.K. Sudheer Babu said the situation is under control and the district administration has not requisitioned the services of the National Disaster Relief Force teams as the situation was not grave now.
Round the clock control rooms were functioning at the collectorate and all taluk offices from Wednesday, he told DC. the respective tahsildars are evaluating the ground-level scenario.
He declared a holiday for all educational institutions in the district on Friday.
