Kerala Under Rain Alert Landslides Kill Four, Flash Flood Sweeps Away Six in Malappuram

Heavy rain battered Kerala on Sunday, triggering landslides and a flash flood that left four people dead and six swept away, as the India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for six districts on Monday.

The IMD issued the orange alert at 7 am for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur, valid for three hours. Heavy to very heavy rainfall of 115.6 mm to 204.4 mm in 24 hours was likely at isolated places, along with thunderstorms and surface winds of up to 40 kmph.

Light rainfall was also likely at isolated places in Kollam, Palakkad and Kannur districts, the weather agency said.

Four people died in separate landslip incidents in Idukki and Kottayam during heavy rainfall on Sunday.

In Idukki, two people were killed and another injured after a mudslide hit a shed at Kottakamboor in Vattavada, where they had taken shelter from the rain.

In Kottayam, a 35-year-old woman from Tamil Nadu, identified as Sangeetha Arul Lal, died when a landslide struck while she was travelling by scooter near Velathussery, close to Teekoy. Her companion was injured.

In another incident in the district, an 80-year-old man, Chelakkat Joseph, died after a landslip hit his house in Poonjar.

A flash flood in the Kottapuzha River in Nilambur, Malappuram district, swept away six people after heavy rain in forested upstream areas caused the river to rise suddenly. Three people were rescued, while five bodies had been recovered by Monday and one person remained missing.

Chief Minister V D Satheesan directed that the state’s rain situation be assessed hourly. Disaster Management Commissioner Vigneshwari convened a meeting with the Idukki and Kottayam district collectors to assess conditions.

SMS alerts were issued in Idukki and Kottayam, and collectors were directed to assess the situation and take necessary measures, including evacuation, the Chief Minister’s Office said.

The IMD warning remained in effect as officials monitored the affected districts and vulnerable areas for further heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across Kerala, with precautions continuing statewide.