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Time of India
3 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Flood threat looms in Kerala: Rivers overflow, dams opened; IMD issues warning
NEW DELHI: Heavy rains and strong winds continued to lash parts of Kerala on Sunday, forcing authorities to open dam shutters and issue flood alerts across multiple districts. Rising river levels, uprooted trees, and power outages were reported in several areas. In Wayanad district, officials opened the shutters of the Banasura Sagar dam by 85 cm to release approximately 100 cusecs of water following intense rainfall in the catchment area, according to news agency PTI. Residents living downstream were advised to remain vigilant. In neighbouring Pathanamthitta district, all three shutters of the Moozhiyar reservoir were opened after water levels crossed the red alert mark of 190 metres. The Irrigation Design and Research Board (IDRB) issued flood warnings for multiple rivers across Kerala, including: Manimala, Pamba, Achankovil (Pathanamthitta) Muvattupuzha, Kaliyar, Periyar (Ernakulam) Pallikkal (Kollam) Vamanapuram (Thiruvananthapuram) Bharathappuzha, Chalakudy (Thrissur) Thodupuzha (Idukki) Bhavani (Palakkad) Korappuzha (Kozhikode) Valapattanam (Kannur) Kabani (Wayanad) Authorities have urged people living near riverbanks and in low-lying areas to prepare for possible evacuations. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for nine districts, indicating the likelihood of heavy rainfall ranging between 6 cm and 11 cm in a 24-hour period. Severe waterlogging in Ernakulam Ernakulam city experienced its worst waterlogging of the monsoon season so far, with widespread flooding across major roads and residential areas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Web Search search Search Now Undo The downpour, which began on Friday and intensified on Saturday, led to severe traffic congestion and disrupted daily life. Areas including Edappally Toll, Panampilly Nagar, Kathrikadavu, and MG Road were submerged. Businesses in the city centre reported water damage, with some shopkeepers forced to manually drain their premises. 'This is the worst waterlogging we've seen this monsoon,' said Manoj Panakkal, a shop owner at Padma Junction. 'We were hoping that the canal rejuvenation work under Operation Breakthrough would help. But Saturday's high tide and rain overwhelmed the system.' Officials face criticism Local opposition leaders criticised the city administration over delays in implementing flood mitigation projects. 'Despite Rs 10 crore being allocated, the dredging of the Thevara–Perandoor canal has not been completed,' said Antony Kureethara, leader of the opposition in the municipal corporation. MG Aristotle, parliamentary party secretary of the UDF, added that canal rehabilitation work remained on paper, with no progress on land acquisition or removal of encroachments. With more rainfall expected in the coming days, state and district authorities remain on high alert.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Waterlogging returns as rain lashes Kochi
Kochi: For the first time this monsoon, heavy rains brought severe waterlogging to Ernakulam city and its adjoining areas, leading to massive traffic jams and widespread disruption of daily life. The downpour began on Friday and intensified on Saturday, accompanied by strong winds, inundating major city roads and low-lying areas. Murky water entered homes and shops, affecting business operations and residents. Several key areas, including Edappally Toll, Ernakulam North and South, Panampilly Nagar, Vennala, Kathrikadavu, Padma and KSRTC depot, were affected. Shopkeepers at MG Road at the heart of the city had to drain out water from their premises following intense showers. "This is the worst waterlogging we've seen this monsoon. We had hoped that canal rejuvenation under Operation Breakthrough and drain cleaning would prevent this. But Saturday's high tide and rains proved otherwise," said Manoj Panakkal, a trader at Padma Junction. Opposition councillors criticized the city administration, calling the situation an example of poor planning. "Despite allocating Rs 10 crore for flood mitigation projects, key works like dredging of the Thevara–Perandoor canal remain incomplete even during the monsoon," said Antony Kureethara, opposition leader in the corporation. MG Aristotle, UDF parliamentary party secretary, added that canal rehabilitation projects have made no headway. "It remains only on paper, with not a single cent of land acquired or encroachments cleared, highlighting administrative inefficiency." Mayor M Anilkumar attributed the flooding to continuous, intense rainfall coinciding with a high tide. "Intermittent rain turned into a downpour lasting 2–3 hours. Our water pump also developed a technical issue and couldn't be used to dewater key areas," he said. Rural Ernakulam also faced heavy rains. A relief camp was opened in North Paravur taluk after waterlogging in Kizhakkumpuram, Chendamangalam panchayat. On Saturday, 10 more houses were damaged; nine were reported damaged on Friday. Strong winds uprooted trees across the district, including one that fell on a parked bus in Thoppumpady — no injuries were reported. By evening, the Muvattupuzha river crossed warning levels. Authorities issued alerts for potential landslides, mudslips and uprooting of trees. Travel at night was banned in hilly areas. Coastal regions like Chellanam also suffered as sea surges flooded roads in Kannamali, Cherya Kadavu Company Padi and nearby areas. "The situation may worsen. Authorities must act promptly," warned VT Sebastian, Convenor of the Chellanam-Kochi People's Forum.
