The flood situation has improved slightly in Kuttanad.
With a decrease in rainfall and flow of water from the neighbouring districts, the water level in the region dropped by around 15 cm on Tuesday. However, several houses, roads, and paddy polders continued to remain inundated after a series of bund breaches in recent days, as a result of rise in water level in rivers in the region.
Several parts of the Alappuzha-Changanassery (AC) road remained submerged. The water level remained above average at Thalavady, Pulinkunnu, Edathua, and Kainakary.
Elsewhere in the district, low-lying areas in Chengannur, Karthikapally, and Cherthala remained waterlogged. The district administration has opened 101 relief camps for 18,189 people from 5,493 families across the district till Tuesday evening. It has also set up 356 non-residential camps (gruel centres) for 70,652 people in Kuttanad, Chengannur, and Ambalapuzha taluks.
A 53- year-old person was found dead in a waterlogged area near Mannanchery on Tuesday morning. The deceased was identified as Ajith Kumar, Lakshmi Nivas, Kavunkal. Two persons suffered minor injuries when a tree fell over a moving car on the National Highway 66 near Cherthala railway station. In another incident, a tree fell on a pedestrian and a motorcyclist at Purakkad. The injured were admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Alappuzha.
Officials with the Agriculture Department said the district had suffered a crop loss to the tune of ₹37 crore.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister P. Thilothaman, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and District Collector Adeela Abdulla visited various relief camps in the district.
Ms. Abdulla has declared a holiday for all educational institutions, including professional colleges and anganwadis in the district on Wednesday.
She also urged people living in vulnerable areas to keep emergency kits ready so that they could be moved to shelters at any time.
Emergency kit
An emergency kit should contain torch, radio set, water, 100 g of groundnut, 100 g of raisins, dates, ORS packet, necessary medicine, antiseptic lotion, small knife, chlorine tablets, mobile phone, required cash, ATM card, valuable certificates, and ornaments.
Fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea.
