Four persons died in rain-related incidents in north Kerala districts on Saturday as there was no respite from the downpour lashing the region for the past few weeks.
According to sources, two deaths were from Kozhikode and one each from Wayanad and Kasaragod. Abhilash, 40, of Alissery in Edachery and Arakkalpadath Mohammed Mirshad, 12, of Cheruvannur, both in Kozhikode, died as they fell into ponds. Babu, 37, died when earth caved in on him while he was constructing a concrete wall at Nedumully near Thomattuchal in Wayanad. He is from the Nayakkampady tribal settlement at Koliyadi. Shawn Aaron Chrasta, 13, of Chevar Kolanthakat in Kasaragod died when coconut trees fell on him.
The Kozhikode district administration issued a warning to those staying on the banks of the Poonoor river at Kunnamangalam and Kolikkal in the wake of rising water levels. Water is being released from the Kakkayam Dam to the Kuttiyadi river depending on the level in the reservoir. Forty two houses were partially damaged. A rehabilitation camp has been opened in Mavoor.
Eighteen houses were partially damaged in Kannur district. Nine of them were in Iritty taluk, five in Thalassery taluk, three in Payyannur taluk and one in Kannur taluk.
Several low-lying areas in Malappuram and Palakkad districts were inundated. Most tributaries of the Chaliyar, Kadalundipuzha and the Bharatapuzha rivers were flooded. Several towns in Malappuram district, including Nilambur, Manjeri, and Kondotty, were flooded. Coupled with uprooting of trees, this caused severe traffic congestion at several places.
Incessant rains in the Nilgiris, particularly in Gudalur region, since Friday caused angst among the people living in the eastern region of Malappuram. Authorities sounded an alert following rising of water in the Thootha river.
Four spillway shutters of the Malampuzha Dam were opened on Saturday afternoon. The shutters were lifted by 30 cm. People living along the banks of the Mukkaipuzha, Kalpathy river, and the Bharatapuzha were warned of flooding. The water level in the Malampuzha Dam marked 111.08 metres on Saturday. The dam has a capacity of 115.06 metres.
