Rain abates, misery continues

Though heavy rain has subsided, waterlogging woes continue unabated in many parts of Alappuzha. A view of a waterlogged house in Thirumala ward of Alappuzha municipality on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: SURESH ALLEPPEY

The heavy rain that has been lashing the State for the past few days has abated on Tuesday, providing a reprieve to the people, although the misery of people in rain-hit areas, especially in the northern and central Kerala, continued. The authorities in northern districts were on their toes as trees were uprooted in several parts in the heavy rain accompanied by gusty wind.

In Kozhikode, a three-year-old girl child drowned in a canal near her house at Punathilthazham on Tuesday. Nakshatra, daughter of Nikhil Narayanan and Vaishnavi of Kulangarathazham had fallen into the canal as she was playing in the courtyard alone. Normal traffic has been restored on the Wayanad Ghat Road after a tree protruding onto the road affecting the normal flow of vehicles was cut down by the authorities in the morning. Traffic had been restricted on the ghat road since Monday evening for security reasons. A well caved in near Valayam in Kozhikode early in the morning during heavy rain.

In Ernakulam, the irate residents of the sea incursion-affected areas of Chellanam panchayat laid siege to the Fort Kochi-Alappuzha State Highway 66 at Kannamaly for the second day, bringing traffic to a standstill for hours in the morning. A country boat and logs swept in by the wave were used to block the highway. The residents also conducted a highway blockade for over two hours on Monday evening after the sea incursion turned the worst since the onset of the monsoon, inundating hundreds of households in Chellanam panchayat.

In Idukki, the shutters of Ponmudi, Malankara, Pamba, Kallarkutty dams were opened following heavy rain in the catchment areas of the reservoirs. The water level in the Idukki reservoir has also increased by 1.62 feet in the last 24 hours.

A total of 270 people from 81 families were shifted to relief camps opened across the State since June 1. In the last two days, as many as four people were killed in various rain-related incidents, including a drowning in Alappuzha, a death due to tree fall in Kottayam, and another death due to house collapse in rain in Palakkad.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Kannur and Kasaragod on Wednesday, warning of heavy rains, and a yellow alert forecasting isolated rains for six districts – Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur Ernakulam and Alappuzha.

Published - June 17, 2025 08:22 pm IST