The flood situation in Kottayam worsened on Sunday with more parts of the district submerged by the run-off waters from the rivers, which continued to flow above the danger levels.
Earlier in the day, a taxi driver from the Cochin International Airport was swept away in flood waters near Manarcadu in Kottayam. The victim was identified as Justin Joy, 26, a native of Manjapra near Angamaly.
The incident occurred around 2 a.m when the car driver was returning to Kochi after dropping off a passenger in Mallappally, Pathanamthitta.
The car got stuck in the flood waters while attempting to cross a flooded portion of the Manarcad-Ettumanur bypass road near Palamuri.
On an alert raised by the cab driver, locals rushed to the spot and a crane was soon brought in for retrieving the vehicle.
The car, however, fell into the paddy field nearby soon after Justin entered inside in a bid to release its hand break prior to lifting the vehicle using a rope.
After floating for some distance, the vehicle then disappeared in the water. The NDRF team launched a search operation and the vehicle and its driver were recovered by afternoon.
The body will be handed over to relatives after post-mortem examination and COVID-19 test.
In a separate incident, a Kulathukadavu native identified as Biju Kaniyamparambil, was electrocuted while cleaning up a flooded shop in Erattupetta Town.
Full fury
The incessant rains, which had battered the high-ranges of the district for two days before receding on Saturday, returned to the region in full fury on Sunday morning. Water level in the Meenachil river, which had receded by several feet, once again rose sharply, triggering concerns of another flood in Pala.
The low-lying areas from Vaikom to Changanassery, meanwhile, remained submerged for the second day, sources said. Adding to the woes, reports of bund breaches emerged from the farmlands of Northern Kuttanad.
Traffic along several roads including the Alappuzha-Changanassery Road, Main Central Road and Pala-Erattupetta Road was thrown out of gear due to water logging.
With the flood water continuing to enter more human settlements, as many as 194 relief camps were opened across Kottayam, which together accommodated 4,495 people from 1,450 camps.
A meeting convened by the Civil Supplies Minister P.Thilothaman in the evening reviewed the flood situation.
