Kerala Floods: Landslides, heavy rains continue to lash the state

A flooded street in Idukki. Pic/ANI

Continuous rains, landslides in high range areas and severe waterlogging in parts of Kerala have refreshed the memories of last year's flash floods in the minds of the people as the state reels from heavy rains for the second consecutive day.

Local media outlets reported of a major landslide in Putumala, a village in Wayanad with many people feared trapped. Many areas near the major rivers of the state have been overflowing with traffic being disrupted and families living near the banks being moved to relief camps. Fishermen have reportedly begun conducting rescued operations at the coasted towns of Kozhikode. Schools and colleges across the state except Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam have been closed. A red alert has been declared in Idukki, Malappuram and Kozhikode districts whereas orange alert has been sounded in Wayanad, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kannur and Kasargod. According to an Asianet News report, the water level in the dams has been steadily rising in many parts of the state (This sentence has been translated from the source).

Transport services affected

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has announced that the airport will remain closed till Sunday 3 pm as a precautionary measure as the tarmac area of the airport is reportedly inundated. Local media reported that the runway is waterlogged with seven aircraft stranded at the spot. Several flights have been diverted towards Kannur, Karipur and Thiruvananthapuram airports. Traffic disruptions due to waterlogging have been reported from many areas of the state. According to an onmanorama report, train services between Alappuzha and Cherthala have been diverted as a tree fell on the tracks.

Also Read: Army conducts rescue and relief operations in Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka

Action awaited

The National Crisis Management Committee reviewed the prevailing flood situation in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The meeting chaired by the cabinet secretary PK Sinha who took stock of the situation, preparedness, and the ongoing rescue operations. He directed to provide immediate assistance to meet the crisis, as sought by the affected states.

Meanwhile, looking at the grim situation in Wayanad, MP Rahul Gandhi has said that he will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide assistance for his Lok Sabha constituency. "I am very concerned about the rainfall and landslide in my constituency. I've talked to officers there and also talked to the Chief Minister of Kerala over it. I will take this up with the Prime Minister and request him for assistance," Gandhi said as he briefed the media. Moreover, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan chaired a high-level meeting and asked the district collectors to monitor the situation.

With inputs from ANI

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