Thiruvananthapuram: Five people have died and one woman remains missing after a sudden flash flood swept through the Kottapuzha River near TK Colony in Nilambur, Malappuram district, on Sunday evening. Search and rescue operations continued on Monday as heavy rain affected several parts of Kerala.
The flash flood occurred at around 5 pm on Sunday, September 20, when the river level rose suddenly. Six people were swept away in the strong current. Five have died, one person remains missing and three others were rescued.
The deceased have been identified as Parannaparamban Muhammed Kutty of Tirur, Mangadan Anas of Edarikode in Kottakkal, Srambikkal Raheem of Karuvarakundu, Kuppanath Sajjad of Kottakunnu in Wandoor and Chettiyarmmal Kuruppath Rafiq of Wandoor.
The missing person has been identified as Sajitha, a resident of TK Colony. She was reportedly washing clothes near the river when the strong current swept her away.
The sudden rise in the river followed heavy rainfall in forested areas upstream. There was little or no significant rain at the location itself when the water level rose rapidly.
The incident occurred on Sunday when visitors were present near the river. The rocky stretches of the Kottapuzha River attract visitors, and several people were in the area when the water level suddenly increased.
Some people escaped by moving towards rocks and trees as the current became stronger. Local residents and rescue teams helped people who had taken shelter in safer areas.
Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force, Fire and Rescue Services, police and disaster management teams took part in the search operation along with local residents.
The search was suspended on Sunday night because of strong currents and poor visibility. It resumed on Monday morning as rescue teams searched different stretches of the river and nearby areas for the missing woman.
The Malappuram incident is part of a wider spell of severe weather across Kerala. Rain related incidents have also caused deaths in Idukki and Kottayam districts.
In Idukki, two people were killed when a mudslide struck a shed at a farm in Kottakamboor in Vattavada. Another person was injured in the incident.
In Kottayam, two people died in separate rain related incidents. A woman from Chennai died after a landslip struck the two wheeler on which she was travelling near Teekoy. An 80 year old man died after a landslip hit his house in Mangalagiri in Poonjar Nadubhagam.
The latest reports put the number of deaths in rain related incidents across Kerala at nine. The figure includes the five deaths in the Malappuram flash flood, two deaths in Idukki and two in Kottayam. One person remains missing in connection with the Malappuram incident.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan has directed officials to assess the rain situation across Kerala every hour and take necessary measures, including evacuation where required.
Disaster Management Authority Commissioner V Vigneshwari held a meeting with the district collectors of Idukki and Kottayam to review the situation. Weather alerts have also been sent to residents in vulnerable areas.
A special Disaster Management Force team has been deployed in the Nilambur Amarambalam area to assist with the response following the flash flood.
The India Meteorological Department has warned of thunderstorms and rain in Kerala, while the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has warned that isolated heavy rainfall is possible in parts of the state.
The weather alerts vary by district and time period. The latest warnings include the possibility of rain and thunderstorms, while isolated heavy rainfall remains possible in parts of Kerala in the coming days.
Authorities are continuing to monitor areas vulnerable to flash floods, landslides and sudden rises in river levels.
The Nilambur incident has raised concern over the danger posed by sudden rises in rivers after heavy rainfall upstream. The flash flood occurred even though there was no significant rain at the location itself, with heavy rain in the forested areas upstream causing the river level to rise suddenly.
With the search for the missing woman continuing and further rain possible in parts of Kerala, rescue teams and district authorities remain on alert.