A major landslip was reported on the Gap Road stretch of the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway following heavy rainfall on Thursday.
Initial reports say vast areas of farmland at Kilavipara were damaged in the landslip. Tonnes of rocks and debris came down the hill and a check-dam gave away on impact. The area was witnessing minor landslips since Wednesday. A minor road at Kilavipara was damaged in the landslip, local people said.
It is estimated that nearly five acres of a plantation in addition to standing crops in seven acres of private land were destroyed in the landslip.
Over 20 landslips had been reported from the area since road widening works started two years back and the stretch had remained closed for traffic considering the chances of landslips there. A major landslip on Gap Road on June 17 had damaged cardamom crops in 13 acres.
Marayur and Kanthallur remained cut off after a temporary bridge built at Periyavarai was destroyed in the flood. A bridge constructed there by the British was destroyed in the 2018 floods.
The water level in minor dams in the district was nearing the full reservoir level (FRL). The Headworks dam in Munnar was opened and it prevented the Muthirapuzha river from flooding Old Munnar.
The water level in Ponmudi dam was 704.20 m (FRL 707.75 m) and that in Kallar dam 821 m (FRL 824.48 m).
The Pambla, Mattupetty, and Malankara dams were opened following heavy rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The water level in the Idukki and Mullaperiyar dams had risen considerably in the past three days. There was an increase of over 10 ft in Idukki and six ft in the Mullaperiyar water level.
The water level in the Idukki reservoir on Thursday was 2,347 ft (FRL 2,403 ft). In Mullaperiyar it was 123 ft (maximum level 142 ft).
