Ithikkara river in spate, coastal road flooded

The coastal Thanni area of Eravipuram in Kollam district is getting steadily flooded with the Mayyanad lake swelling alarmingly following heavy inflow from the Ithikkara river. The Fishermen Colony there and the coastal road to the area have been hit by floods.

Residents said that water began entering the colony from Sunday night and by Monday morning, water had entered most of the houses. By evening the flooding began to get worse. Revenue officials visited the area and are making arrangements to shift the victims to safer area.

The coastal road to Thanni which remained flooded in the morning turned inaccessible by evening. Residents say that the rising waters are steadily moving to surrounding areas too and the Tsunami Colony there is in threat of inundation.

Causes

The Thanni bund across the estuary there and the clogged Kollam canal are said to be the immediate cause of the flooding since these two factors have denied an outlet for the lake even as more water enters it through the river. Two years ago when a similar situation arose, the Thanni bund was breached.

Residents say that if the bund is not breached, the area may get inundated since the Ithikkara river is in spate. A statement from the district administration on Monday evening says that the rain damage in the district for the past five days has been estimated at Rs.60,45,500. Five houses were destroyed and 87 houses damaged in the district.