With Idukki experiencing heavy rainfall, three persons were killed in rain-related incidents in the district on Thursday.
A one-year-old girl, Manjusree ,was killed and three persons were injured in a landslip at an estate quarter at Chinnakanal, near Munnar, at 11 a.m. Jyothi Ammal, 72, a resident of Vaguvarai, near Munnar, died when she fell in a stream. A migrant labour, Madhu Krishani, 25, from Odisha died on Thursday. He was injured when a shed collapsed on him on August 6 and has been undergoing treatment at the Kolenchery medical college.
The Periyavara temporary bridge on the Munnar-Udumalpet interstate route was washed away in flash floods. The rising waters of the Muthirapuzha river submerged a section of Munnar town, Old Munnar, Ekka Nagar, and Payas Nagar.
Nearly 30 landslips were reported in the high range areas of Idukki, making some areas inaccessible. The Collector announced a holiday for all educational institutions in the district on Friday. The district received an average of 119.38 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours, with Devikulam taluk recording 194.8 mm. The Collector has banned heavy vehicles on ghat roads till August 11.
The hill station of Munnar was isolated and traffic on the Kottayam-Kumily stretch of the Kollam-Theni National Highway was partially blocked in landslips and floods. Electricity and telephone lines were uprooted.
Ten houses were inundated at Vandiperiyar. The water level was rising at an alarming rate in the Periyar. It had almost reached the Karinkulam Chappathu bridge in the afternoon. If it rises further, traffic on the Kottayam-Kattappana State Highway may have to be blocked.
