Incessant rain and sporadic landslips in the Nilambur forest regions triggered sudden floods in the eastern regions of Malappuram, submerging places such as Nilambur, Karulai, Mampad, Karimpuzha, Pongallur, Chaliyar, Wandoor, Vazhakkad and Areekode.
Floodwaters in Nilambur region continued to rise alarmingly on Thursday evening. Two teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) have rushed to Nilambur.
The Fire Force personnel rescued more than 800 people trapped in flooded buildings. Six fishing boats from Tanur were sent to Nilambur for rescue operations.
A man was killed when an uprooted coconut tree fell on him at Purathur near Tirur on Thursday. Pradeep, 38, son of Appu, died on the way to hospital.
Hundreds of families were displaced. Hundreds of houses are submerged in the eastern regions of Malappuram. Dozens of tribal families living in various hamlets in the Nilambur forest region were shifted. A large number of people are living in fear of floods and landslips.
A red alert has been issued for the district on Friday. District Collector Jaffer Malik warned the people to maintain extra vigil in view of the floods. He warned them against venturing into swollen rivers, streams, ponds and fields. He warned the youngsters and children against bathing in the floodwaters.
Adivasi colonies at Kumbalapara, Iruttukuthy, Vaniyampuzha, Tharippapotti and Thandankallu in Nilambur forest areas were marooned as floods and landslips cut away the region.
All residents of the Nedumkayam tribal colony were shifted to a relief camp as the Karimpuzha flowing by their settlement rose to an alarmingly dangerous level. The steel hanging bridge at Thonikkadavu, Mampad, collapsed as the muddy waters in the swollen Chaliyar continued to rise frighteningly.
The entire Nilambur town was under water and hundreds of houses, shops and business establishments were inundated. Water rose to two metre level in some places. Local people said within one hour, water rose almost by two feet.
The Calicut-Nilambur-Gudalur (CNG) Road was cut off as much of it was inundated in Nilambur municipal area.
Officials said four houses were destroyed and 109 were damaged in the rain. Seventeen relief camps were opened in the district. As many as 964 flood affected people belonging to 344 families were shifted to
the relief camps.
The district witnessed an average 30.6 mm rainfall in 24 hours since Wednesday. When Perinthalmanna got 38 mm rainfall, Eranad got 34 mm and Ponnani 20.44 mm rainfall. The cumulative rainfall since the
monsoon began was 794.84 mm.
Heavy rain and wind continued to lash the western regions, particularly in the coast of Malappuram district. More than 30 houses were damaged in Tirur taluk.
Traffic between Areekode and Mukkam was disrupted as the road linking the towns in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts was submerged at Areekode.
A house at Olipram Kadavu near Calicut University was damaged when two trees fell on it on Wednesday night. Pradeep Kumar Edakkat and his family escaped unhurt.
An autorickshaw parked on the roadside at Alathiyur near Tirur was destroyed when a coconut tree fell on it. The auto-driver Afsal escaped without injuries.