Kerala chief minister orders massive relief effort after mountain tragedies

Tiruvananthapuram, August 1 – After landslides and flash floods swept through Kerala’s central highlands on Saturday, Chief Minister V.D. Satishan ordered an all‑out relief and rescue operation. The calamity claimed three lives – Sumathi of Masikkel in Idukki’s Kudayathur area, 72‑year‑old Prabhakaran Nair of Vagamon who perished at Kolahalamedu, and 24‑year‑old Josephine Johnny whose house collapsed at Poyanithottam, Punjar – and left a fourth family member, Regina, missing.

Two survivors were pulled from the rubble at Kudayathur, while teams continue to search for Regina, feared trapped under the debris.

The district recorded more than 330 mm of rain, causing the Pamba River to burst its banks and flood the Ranni‑Konni basin. Key arterial routes, including the Ranni‑Vadaserikkara road and the Aryanjilimanmu causeway, were submerged, cutting off Ranni town almost entirely.

Commercial premises, shops and homes were inundated, inflicting losses worth several crores. Widespread power failures forced residents onto upper floors, where fire‑and‑rescue units helped them onto boats for evacuation. Additional rescue boats were dispatched from Kollam to assist in extracting people from water‑logged panchayats.

The state opened multiple relief camps to shelter displaced families and directed the National Disaster Response Force, police, fire‑rescue and other agencies to remain on high alert.

In a telephone briefing with Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar, the chief secretary and district collectors, the chief minister instructed the revenue minister to act as the central coordinator for all disaster‑management activities.

Officials warned that floodwaters from Puthanamthitta could advance toward Alappuzha, prompting an early warning to downstream districts.

The Indian Meteorological Department has placed red alerts over Puthanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod, urging people to avoid travel and move to safe locations.

Satishan emphasized rapid medical treatment for the injured, accelerated rehabilitation, and a reinforced relief framework, while also highlighting long‑term plans to restore river channels clogged with sand and silt, which have reduced the carrying capacity of many Kerala rivers.