River Pampa breached its banks at Pampa-Triveni in the foothills of Sabarimala, flooding the Pampa Manalpuram on Thursday morning.
Floodwater entered the Annadana Mandapam of the Travancore Devaswom Board, as well as various shops and hotels situated on the riverbank in Pampa.
The police and the Akhila Bharata Ayyappa Seva Sanghom vounteers, who were engaged in cleaning operation at Pampa, helped the pilgrims, who were returning from Sabarimala after the Niraputhari celebrations held at the Ayyappa Temple on Wednesday, to cross the river safely.
The forest areas of Sabarimala have been receiving heavy rainfall since Wednesday afternoon.
The tribals at the Attathode tribal settlement near Nilackal suspect a series of minor landslides in the forest interiors, leading to the flash flood at Pampa-Triveni.
However, the floodwater started receding from Triveni and surrounding areas by 11.30 a.m., following a respite in the rain.
A portion of the plastic sand bags stacked on the western bank of the river as a protection wall too caved-in following the heavy flow of flood waters.
No damage of property was reported from Pampa till Thursday noon.
