Early monsoons: Kerala opens up relief camps as heavy rains play havoc

Heavy downpours continued to wreak havoc in the northern districts of Kerala, where people were shifted to relief camps and safer locations in many places.

According to reports, heavy rainfall has caused widespread tree uprooting across the state, affecting villages, towns and high ranges, while swollen water bodies threaten residents in several districts.

With intense rains continuing, a number of tribal families from Puzhamkuni hamlet in Wayanad’s Sultan Bathery were moved to relief camps, district authorities said on Monday, 26 May.

Relief camps were opened in Bathery and an NDRF team is camping in the district, they added.

Fire force personnel and police had a tough time in Thrissur district, where widespread uprooting of trees posed a danger and caused traffic snarls in various places due to continuous rains.

An uprooted tree fell upon the Thrissur–Guruvayoor rail route. Efforts are on to remove the logs, sources said.

Intense winds, accompanied by incessant rains, made life miserable in the high ranges of Palakkad district, including the Attappadi and Nelliyampathy areas, they added.

Several people were shifted to relief camps in neighbouring Kozhikode district, where heavy rains have been lashing since Sunday, 25 May, cutting across villages and high ranges.

Kozhikode district authorities urged local residents to exercise caution as the water level of Poonoorpuzha is above the danger level at Kolikkal and above the warning level in Kunnamangalam.

The Kerala Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) urged people living on the banks of Korapuzha (Kozhikode), Manimala River (Pathanamthitta), Vamanapuram (Thiruvananthapuram) and Kabani River (Wayanad) to be on extra vigil as orange and yellow alerts prevail in the area.

As per the latest radar imagery, a moderate to intense spell of rainfall and gusty wind speeds reaching 60 km/h are expected in Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur districts, KSDMA sources said.

A moderate spell of rainfall and gusty wind speed reaching 60 km/h is expected in Kollam, Alappuzha and Kasaragod districts for the next hours, they said.

KSDMA said waterlogging on major roads and poor visibility in vehicles may lead to traffic congestion.

They also warned of chances of landslide and landslip.

Meanwhile, government sources said an interaction between chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and women from various sectors, scheduled to be held in Kochi on Tuesday, 27 May, has been temporarily postponed due to the rain situation in the state.