Troubling memories of 2018 floods returned to haunt Kerala as heavy rainfall lashed central and northern districts, claiming at least 10 lives, triggering landslips and inundating large swathes of low-lying regions.
At least 30 estate workers were feared missing in a massive landslip at Puthumala, near Meppadi in Wayanad.
Here are the latest updates:
Landslips continue across the State
In Malappuram, the houses of two women forest watchers got buried under a landslide at Anamari Forest Check post near Vazhikkadavu in Nilambur taluk. Casualty is feared.
Near Manjeri, four members of a family were killed when their house collapsed in Edavanna village. The dead were identified as Kuttasseri Unais, Nusrath, Sana and Sanil. Their bodies have been shifted to Government Medical College Hospital at Manjeri.
Malappuram: Six people are feared trapped inside a collapsed building at Chelipadam near Mampad in Malappuram district. The accident took place at 5 a.m. today. Rescue efforts continue.
Meanwhile, four flights bound for Cochin international airport and Karipur international airport have landed in Thiruvananthapuram international airport till 7.30 a.m.
Over 300 relief camps opened
As per the latest report from Chief Minister's Office, 315 flood relief camps have been opened across the State. These camps now host 22,165 persons from 5,936 families.
Wayanad district has the most number of camps- 105.
IMD issues red alerts for four districts on August 9
Central and north Kerala districts can expect isolated heavy rainfall till Sunday morning, after which there will be a gradual reduction, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said.
Red alerts, signalling extremely heavy rainfall (in excess of 20.4 cm during a 24-hour period), have been issued for Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad and orange alerts — isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall — for Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kannur, and Kasaragod for Friday.
Holiday declared in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam
With heavy rainfall continuing in the State, the district collectors of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam has declared a holiday for all educational institutions in the two districts on Friday morning.
A holiday had been declared for the educational institutions including professional colleges in the other 12 districts on Thursday itself.
Examinations will be held as planned in both districts.
Meanwhile, an IMD alert warned that thunderstorm accompanied with rain and gusty winds was likely in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts during the next three hours.
As per a 12.30 a.m. update 18,308 people have been evacuated to 266 relief camps in the affected districts.
Kochi Airport closes operations till August 11
Cochin International Airport Ltd, in a statement, said that operations at the Kochi airport has been suspended till 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 11, 2019.
Cochin International Airport has suspended operation following floods in its apron area | Photo Credit: H. Vibhu
Earlier, in view of the continuing rain, air operations from Cochin International Airport Limited at Nedumbassery have been suspended till 9 a.m. on Friday as a precautionary measure.
Emergency control room number at the airport: 0484-3053500.
Meanwhile, Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has commenced special bus services from Thiruvananthapuram international airport to Ernakulam in view of diversion of flights due to closure of Kochi airport.
Train services via Alappuzha hit as overhead line got snapped after a tree uprooted and fell on track near Sherthala early morning.
In Kozhikode district, three persons missing after a landslip at Vilangad in Vadakara taluk. So far, about 1,500 persons have been relocated to relief camps in various places in the district.
On Kerala flood’s first anniversary, rain rattles Malabar
Roads turned into streams. Broken bridges. Overflowing rivers. Houses that are half under water. Household articles swimming in the street. Power outage. Mobile phones gone dead. Left-out cows and goats baying in scare at marooned homes. Thousands of people, scores of them bed-ridden elderly people, moved into makeshift camps. At least three persons dead.
This was the picture of a large part of the Malabar region on Thursday, exactly a year after last year’s worst-floods-in-a-century struck the region.
Pampa overflows in Sabarimala foothills
The Pampa breached its banks at Pampa-Triveni in the foothills of Sabarimala flooding the Pampa Manalpuram on Thursday morning. The floodwaters entered the Annadana Mandapam of the Travancore Devaswom Board as well as shops and hotels on the banks.
Emergency phone numbers
State Control Room: 0471 2331639 / 0471 2333198
State Toll-free number: 1070
State Emergency Operation Centre: 9446568222