PTI
Thiruvananthapuram
The IMD on Saturday issued an ‘orange alert’ for 12 districts in Kerala, warning of very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms on August 2, officials said.
The alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts.
An ‘orange alert’ indicates the likelihood of very heavy rainfall ranging from 115.6 mm to 204.4 mm in 24 hours at isolated places.
Heavy rains lashed several parts of Kerala on Saturday, triggering landslides, inundating low-lying areas, swelling rivers and dams, and prompting authorities to launch large-scale rescue and evacuation operations in affected regions.
A statement from the CMO said six people were killed in rain-related incidents across the state.
Four of the deaths occurred in separate landslides in Idukki and Kottayam districts, where several others were rescued.
Search operations for the six missing persons continued with personnel from the National Disaster Response Force, Fire and Rescue Services, police, the Coast Guard, the local administration, public representatives and residents.
participating in the efforts, the statement said.
The statement said 65 relief camps had been opened across the state, providing shelter to 1,465 people.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan said 17 houses had been destroyed and another 127 had suffered partial damage in rain-related incidents.
Two separate fatal landslides were reported in Idukki district.
The deceased was identified as Sumathi (65), a resident of Adoormala near Kudayathoor in Idukki district.
Her husband, Ravi, and their son, Ratheesh, were rescued and admitted to hospital, officials said.
In another incident, Prabhakaran Nair (77) of Vaikom died after a landslide hit the house of his relative in the Vagamon area of Idukki district.
A youth died, and his mother was trapped under debris after a landslide at Payyanithottam in Poonjar in Kottayam district.
The deceased was identified as Josephine, son of Johny. His mother, Rejina Johny (46), was trapped under debris, officials said.
Following the landslides and flooding, Satheesan directed ministers in charge of rain-hit districts to camp in their respective districts and coordinate rescue and relief operations as heavy rain continued across the state.
He reviewed the situation with ministers and district collectors.
Landslides and flooding hit several parts of Idukki district.
At Upputhara, a parked police jeep was damaged in a landslide. Heavy rain disrupted traffic at multiple locations.
Vehicle movement on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway was affected following a landslide near Cheeyapara.
Rising water levels in the Chottupara stream at Vandiperiyar led to waterlogging on National Highway 183.
In neighbouring Kottayam district, heavy rain triggered widespread flooding in Erattupetta, Kanjirappally, Koottickal, Erumeli and Pala, inundating commercial and residential areas, disrupting traffic and prompting rescue operations.
Four houses were damaged in a landslide at Teekoy village, but residents escaped unhurt, officials said.
