Incessant monsoon rains have wreaked havoc along the Western Ghat regions and adjoining plains in Kerala over the past couple of days, with reports of a major land slide coming in from the vulnerable Idukki district this morning, unleashing rampant flash floods, loose earth and boulders over a plantation labour encampment at the remote Pettimudi along the Rajamalai hills.

Preliminary reports on Friday indicate that an estimated 70-80 individuals living there may have been caught in the landslide. The Idukki district collector too has confirmed the event, saying that rescue teams have been sent to the area. Rajamalai had witnessed unprecedented land slides during the 2018 floods.

All approach roads have been hit and a bridge leading to the area has been damaged by the flood waters, rendering access to the remote area even more difficult. Latest, though unconfirmed, reports said that three people have been rescued from the debris at the Pettimudi site.

Vulnerable to landslides

Idukki in Central Kerala, along with Wayanad, a plantation hub, in North Kerala, are the two districts most vulnerable to major flooding and landslides during the monsoons. Many rivers have breached their banks in the heavy rains over the past couple of days. Even more rain is forecast ahead of a fresh low-pressure forming in the Bay of Bengal.

IMD forecast

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in the State till Sunday, when the second low pressure area is likely to take shape over the West-Central and northern parts of the Bay of Bengal. Red, orange and yellow alerts are in place in the central and northern parts, signifying calibrated severity of expected rainfall.

Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Idukki, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts are forecast to come under isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall. Orange alerts have been issued for these districts. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall has been forecast for all districts, except Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, on Saturday. Isolated heavy to very heavy falls are forecast for Kerala, Tamil Nadu, South Interior and Coastal Karnataka during the next 4-5 days.