With water levels receding in major rivers, the flood situation in upper Kuttanad and Kuttanad improved marginally on Sunday. However, bund breaches flooded several houses in the region.
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation resumed bus services through the Nedumbram stretch of the Ambalappuzha-Thiruvalla State Highway after floodwaters receded on the day. Several interior villages and rural roads, however, remained waterlogged. A breach in the outerbund of the 250-acre Cherukayal kayal paddy polder at Kainakary in Kuttanad submerged paddy crops and around 400 houses in the area.
Overflowing floodwaters also inundated paddy plants in the nearby Aarupanku paddy polder. Outerbunds of more than half a dozen paddy polders in the region breached in the past week.
The Revenue department opened more relief camps in the district. As of Sunday evening, 4,539 people belonging to 1,371 families took shelter in 69 relief camps in the district. The camps included 23 in Chengannur, 19 in Kuttanad, eight in Mavelikara, 10 in Karthikappally, five in Ambalappuzha, and four in Cherthala taluks. Besides, the department opened 291 gruel centres, 288 in Kuttanad, and three in Karthikappally taluks.
Officials said that five houses had been destroyed and another 216 dwellings suffered damage in the rain fury in the district.
District Collector Haritha V. Kumar has declared a holiday for all educational institutions, including professional colleges and anganwadis, in Kuttanad taluk on Monday. A holiday has also been declared for educational institutions in other parts of the district where relief camps have been opened. Examinations will be held as per schedule.
