Floodwaters entered several houses in low-lying upper Kuttanad on Wednesday. A view of a waterlogged house at Thalavady.
| Photo Credit: SURESH ALLEPPEY
With Alappuzha experiencing more rainfall and an increase in flow of floodwaters from the eastern side, authorities opened more relief camps in the district on Wednesday.
Several places in upper Kuttanad were inundated after major rivers in the region, including the Pampa, Manimala, and Achencoil, swelled past their banks. Floodwaters entered houses at Thalavady, Muttar, Edathua, Thakazhi, and Veeyapuram among other places. A number of flood-affected families moved to safer places.
Officials said 22 families from Wards 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 in Muttar grama panchayat would be shifted to St. George Higher Secondary School, Muttar. The rise in water level resulted in a breach in the outerbund of at least one paddy polder. Floodwaters also inundated a stretch of the Ambalappuzha- Thiruvalla State highway at Nedumbram and several rural roads in the region.
As of Wednesday evening, the Revenue department opened seven relief camps — four in Chengannur, two in Cherthala and one in Mavelikara taluk — and shifted 150 people belonging to 43 families there.
The Irrigation department cut open the Thottappally pozhi mouth to ensure the smooth flow of floodwaters from Kuttanad and upper Kuttanad into the sea. Meanwhile, rough sea battered Alappuzha’s coastal belt. As many as 117 houses were damaged in the district in the rain fury. They included 36 houses in Ambalappuzha taluk, 35 in Cherthala, 17 in Karthikappally, 12 in Kuttanad, 10 in Mavelikara, and seven in Chengannur.
A high-level meeting attended by Agriculture Minister P. Prasad, Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian and Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine reviewed the situation in the district.
The meeting directed the authorities to immediately widen the Thottappally pozhi mouth by removing the sandbar. District Collector Haritha V. Kumar was asked to open more relief camps, if needed.
Floodwaters entered several houses in low-lying upper Kuttanad on Wednesday. A view of a waterlogged house at Thalavady.
| Photo Credit:
SURESH ALLEPPEY
Ms. Kumar visited flood-affected areas in Kuttanad taluk on the day. The Collector issued an order banning shikhara boats, motor boats, speed boats, and kayaking boats from conducting services until further notice.
The body of a man who accidentally fell into the water near the Thottappally spillway a couple of days ago was recovered on Wednesday.