Heavy Rainfall Causes Landslides and Flooding in Kerala’s Kozhikode and Wayanad

Heavy rainfall in Kerala’s Kozhikode and Wayanad districts has led to severe landslides and flooding. One person is missing after a landslide hit the Vilangad area in Kozhikode, destroying the Malayangad bridge and partially damaging four houses. Fifteen families are isolated, but no casualties have been reported. Residents along the riverbanks have been relocated.

In another incident, a landslide on the Kaithapoyil-Anorammal-Valliyad road buried approximately 80 meters of the road, leading to the evacuation of seven families. Landslides in the Pashukadav area of Kuttikkad Maruthonkara village have also caused widespread disruption. Flooding has waterlogged streets and inundated houses and shops.

Due to rising water levels in the Kadantara river, residents from Preakkandod, Mukkam, and Peetikappara regions have been evacuated to temporary shelters. Two shutters of the Kakkayam Dam were raised by four feet due to rising water levels. Residents living along the banks of the Kuttayyadi river have been advised to exercise caution.

Heavy rainfall has caused water levels in the Poonur, Mahe, Kuttayyadi, Chaliyar, and Cherupuzha rivers to reach dangerous levels. Residents in these areas have been advised to remain vigilant. Visitor access to tourist spots in the district has been restricted, and quarry operations have been halted.

Currently, 854 people from 196 families are staying in 41 relief camps across the Kozhikode district. Many have moved to relatives’ homes. Residents in landslide-prone areas have been advised to relocate. There are 24 relief camps set up in the Kozhikode Taluk sheltering 298 people. Two camps have been set up in the Vadakara Taluk (21 people), seven camps in Koilandy Taluk (161 people), and eight camps have been set up at the Thamarassery Taluk (374 people).

Speaking on the search and rescue operations in Wayanad, S Shankar Pandian, Deputy Commandant of the NDRF, said, “Our teams are located at various locations in Wayanad. Even in Kozhikode, a landslide was suspected, the NDRF team is deployed there. Already, three teams of NDRF are in Wayanad. We are doing our best to carry out rescue efforts. We are facing difficulty in reaching interior parts in the landslide-affected area.”

Kerala Chief Secretary V Venu said that over 80 bodies were recovered as rescue operations continued in the landslide-hit regions in Wayanad today. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for eight districts in the state for heavy rainfall. A red alert has been issued for the Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasargod districts. An orange alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Ernakulam districts for today.