Road washed away in Malappuram as flood hits Kerala
Heavy rain has created havoc in Kerala leaving a trail of destruction across the state. A road in Malappuram in Kerala was washed away on Thursday after the flash flood hit the region. In a video recorded from Malappuram, a seemingly two-way road can be seen being reduced to a narrow pathway. Water can be seen flowing from below the road before it was completely broken. Spectators can be seen witnessing the mayhem from a distance.
Twenty people have been killed in rain-related incidents so far in the state. Of the total deaths, 11 people were killed in a massive landslide in high range Idukki, six in northern Malappuram district, two others in Kannur and one in Wayanad district since last night. Two persons were pulled out alive from the debris by the locals and police, they said.
With water levels rising in various dams and reaching almost its maximum capacity, shutters of at least 22 reservoirs in the state have been opened to drain out excess water.
For the first time in the last 26 years, a shutter of the Cheruthoni dam of the Idukki reservoir, considered the biggest arch dam in Asia, was opened by noon on Thursday with the water level touching 2,398.98 ft. The full reservoir level (FRL) of the dam is 2,403 ft. Four shutters of the Idamalayar dam in Kochi district were opened on Thursday morning.
Calling the flood situation in the state “very grim”, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said it was for the first time in the history of the state that 22 dams have been opened at a time following the water level reaching its maximum capacity.
He said an assistance of Army, Navy and Coast Guard has been sought and six more columns of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had been requested to be deployed in the flood-hit areas.
