Kuttanad, spread across parts of Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts, faced the threat of rising floods on Monday as heavy rain continued in the catchments of the rivers emptying into the region.
In upstream Idukki district, it was another day of very heavy downpour on Monday, with Peerumade reporting 17 cm of rainfall, Idukki town 10 cm and Munnar 9 cm. This was the fourth day in succession when centres in Idukki district were reporting good downpour.
Pathanamthitta district too reported heavy rainfall of 7 cm at Myladumpara. The four rivers reaching the trough-like Kuttanad downstream – Pampa, Achencoil, Manimala and Meenechal – originating from the mountains of Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts are carrying heavy flood discharge.
The Irrigation Department cut open the narrow sandbar separating the Kuttanad backwaters at its southern end from the sea at Thottappally so that part of the flood flow into the region would drain out into the sea before spreading northward over the paddy fields and villages of the region towards the Kochi sea mouth. However, rough sea conditions and monsoon tidal action were preventing smooth drainage of the flood waters through the Thottappally spillway. This might vitiate the situation in Kuttanad over the next two or three days. Extended range forecast of the India Meteorological Department shows increase in rainfall activity over the southern peninsula as a whole from August 10. Active monsoon conditions, with normal to above normal rainfall, are likely over Kerala on most days till August 19.
