The High Range continued to be cut off from rest of the areas for the second day on Thursday and three deaths were reported and six others were found missing in landslips and floods in the district.
Traffic continued to be blocked on the Karinkulam Chappathu bridge on the Kottayam-Kattappana State Highway. Many houses and shops from Vallakaduvu to Upputhara town were flooded in the dam water.
Many high rise buildings at Karinkulam Chapathu and Upputhara were submerged in the food water. People living on the banks of the river were put up in relief camps. A large number of vehicles were stranded on the Kuttikanam side of the State Highway.
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Water was flowing nearly three feet high on the bridge and heavy rain was continuing in the area. The Puliyanmala-Thodupuzha State Highway was blocked at Cheruthoni town following release of water from the Cheruthoni dam in the wake of heavy inflow into the Idukki and Mullaperiar dams. Heavy rain continued on the catchment areas of the two dams.
The District Collector has suspended all tourism-related activities in the district and has advised people to remain indoors. The stranded vehicles in the Cheruthoni town were asked to be removed
The traffic on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi and Kollam-Theni national highways were suspended at several places following landslips and floods.
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A bridge at Periyavarai on Munnar-Marayur road was damaged and traffic banned on it. The Attukadu bridge at Pallivasal was destroyed in the floods. All the rivers, including the Periyar in the district were overflowing.
3 killed in landslip
In a landslip at Pachadi near Nedumkandam, three members of a family were killed. Landslips were reported at Kattappana, Nedumkandam. Cheruthoni and Adimali.
There was no electricity in many areas of the High Range from Wednesday evening. Mobile communications were also affected in addition to the landline connection. A large number of isolated landslips were reported in Arakkulam grama panchayat.
The police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel continued rescue operations in the landslip areas. The tribal settlement areas in the forest continued to be cut off for several days. Supply of food and essential items there, including the Edamalakkudy tribal grama panchayat in Munnar forest division, were badly hit
Many tourists were stranded in Munnar, where heavy rain and road block continued. The town continued to be in flood after the water from the Mattupetty dam were released. More volume of water was being released from all the dams in the district.