As rains intensify in Keralam, CM orders hourly assessment of situation

As heavy rains swept through Keralam, Chief Minister V D Satheesan issued an order for an hourly assessment of the crisis. The Disaster Management Authority Commissioner, Vigneswari IAS, convened a meeting with the district collectors of Idukki and Kottayam to evaluate the precarious situation. SMS alerts were dispatched to warn residents of the impending weather conditions, while district officials were tasked with taking immediate action, including evacuations, the statement from the Chief Minister's Office reported.

Satheesan directed the deployment of a specialized Disaster Management Force team to the Nilambur-Amarambalam region in Malappuram, where a tragic incident claimed five lives and left two persons missing. The group, which included five members from Vandoor, was swept away by a flash flood in the Kottapuzha River on Sunday evening. One survivor was pulled to safety by a local, but two bodies were recovered by Fire and Rescue personnel, while the whereabouts of the remaining two remain unconfirmed.

In Kottayam, a woman from Tamil Nadu succumbed to her injuries after a landslide at Velathussery near Teekoy. Sangeetha Arul Lal, a resident of Chennai, was riding a scooter when the mudslide engulfed her, trapping her beneath a shed. Her companion managed to escape with minor injuries and received medical attention. Two others perished in the incident, and the tragedy highlights the devastating impact of nature's fury on the state.

The India Meteorological Department forecasted heavy rainfall over the next four days, offering a glimmer of hope to the region grappling with rising temperatures and frequent power outages. The agency also predicted isolated thunderstorms from September 20 to 21. IMD raised the alert levels in Kottayam and Idukki from yellow to orange, indicating extremely heavy rainfall ranging from 11 cm to 20 cm.

Despite a weak monsoon this year, with a rainfall deficit of 28% between June 1 and September 17, Keralam's resilience remains unyielding in the face of nature's challenges.