Minor landslips, flood threat in Kottayam

With heavy rains pounding the district for the third consecutive day, the hilly areas have been witnessing minor landslips while the low-lying western areas are under threat of inundation.

A landslip at Poovanthuruth, near Chingavanom, on the Kottayam-Changanassery stretch caused a three-hour rail traffic block in the morning.

An old four-room commercial building collapsed at Peroor, near Ettumanur, and power supply remained disrupted for long when a tree was uprooted at Kanjiram on the western areas of Kottayam town.

Meanwhile, the eastern highlands bordering Idukki and Pathanamthitta are under fear of landslips. A major landslip at the Kokkayar-Enthayar belt last week had caused flash floods resulting in rise of waters in the Manimala river.

The entire western stretch of Kottayam bordering Vembanad Lake is under threat of inundation as the water in the rivers emptying into the lake has risen alarmingly.

MGU postpones exams

The Mahatma Gandhi University has postponed all examinations scheduled for Monday in the face of the holiday declared for educational institutions Statewide.

According to the district authorities, the police, Fire and Rescue Services, and the Revenue department have been put on high alert.

People living on the banks of Meenachil and Manimala rivers have been warned of possible flash floods in the event of major landslips in the hill tracts.

Rain figures

According to the Met Office, Kottayam received 52.8 mm rain from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Sunday.

The cumulative rainfall for the current southwest monsoon from June 1 to September 17 has been put at 1,715.57 mm.

This shows a deficiency of 2.78% from the normal for the period which is 1,764.60 mm.