Kochi: Heavy rains accompanied by swirling winds and landslides in the highrange districts left a trail of death and destruction in many parts of Kerala on Thursday. Wayanad district suffered the worst calamities.
Six people died in different parts of the state. Unconfirmed reports said that nearly 40 people were trapped in a landslide in Poothumala area close to Chooralmala in Wayanad and that the rescue workers were yet to reach the spot. A temple and church were also submerged in the landslide.
A Kochi airport official said that with the prospect of rains continuing, the threat of flooding from various sources looms over the airport. As a precautionary measure, the airport was shut till 9 am on Friday.
C.K. Saseendran MLA told reporters in Wayanad that Army and National Disaster Management Force had been despatched to the location. The area remained cut-off from the rest of the district.
The rains intensified even as the state is bracing for the first anniversary of one of the worst floods in its history.
The State Disaster Management Authority declared red alert in Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Idukki districts on Friday. Mahesh and his wife Preethu of Pazhashi colony in Wayand died in landslips, while K. Padmanabhan fell into a canal at Kuzheekkal near Mattannur in Kannur district. A person identified as Kara belonging to the Sholayar tribal settlement in Attappady died when a tree fell on his house. Another named Muthu collapsed and died while being vacated from a flooded house. The one-year-old daughter of Rajasekharan and Nithya of Chinnakkanal in Idukki died in landslide.
With all the roads blocked, including the three ghat roads, Wayanad was isolated from the rest of the state. The KSRTC temporarily stopped the Mysore-Bangalore service from Kozhikode through Wayanad. Most of the low-lying areas of Kalpetta town were inundated. Parts of Nilambur town in Malappuram district were flooded. A 100-metre stretch of NH -766 Kozhikode-Wayanad road was flooded at Engappuzha near Thamarassery.
In Kannur district, the high-ranges witnessed heavy rain. The ghats roads connecting Wayanad have been blocked by minor landslips.
Idukki district also received heavy rains flooding many areas, including Munnar. Tourists going to Munnar were asked to return from Neriyamangalam, said Devikulam sub-collector Renu Raj.
The authorities in 11 out of the 14 districts declared a holiday for educational institutions, including professional colleges, while MG, Kannur and Calicut universities postponed the examinations scheduled for the day. The PSC examinations were also postponed.
Rains disrupted normal life in many parts of Ernakulam and neighbouring districts on Thursday. The district administration announced a holiday for educational institutions, including professional colleges, on Friday. At least five incidents of landslips were reported in Kuttampuzha village in the district. Torrential rains also lashed Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts.
