Heavy Rains Wreak Havoc in Keralam.. Five Dead, Two Missing

Heavy rains triggered a series of landslides, mudslides and flash floods across Keralam on Sunday, September 20, resulting in multiple casualties and prompting authorities to intensify rescue and monitoring operations. Reports said at least five people died and two others remained missing, with Malappuram, Kottayam and Idukki among the worst-affected districts. In Malappuram’s Nilambur-Amarambalam area, people were swept away by a sudden rise in the Kottapuzha River. Rescue teams recovered bodies and continued the search for those missing.

In Kottayam, a 35-year-old woman from Tamil Nadu died after a landslide struck near Teekoy while she was travelling on a scooter, while her companion was injured. In Idukki, two people died after a mudslide struck a shed where they had taken shelter from the rain, with another person injured. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan directed officials to review the weather situation every hour, while SMS alerts were issued in Idukki and Kottayam and authorities were instructed to consider evacuations from vulnerable areas. The India Meteorological Department has forecast further heavy rainfall in parts of Keralam, with orange alerts issued for some districts.