Heavy rains lash Kerela: Five deaths reported due to landslide

Kochi: Torrential rains battered central Kerala on Tuesday, forcing authorities to sound alerts for residents hit by waterlogging and educational institutions were shut in the affected areas as the weatherman warned that the intense weather is likely to persist for the next two days. Residents in affected areas have been alerted and preparations are underway to evacuate them if such emergency arises, authorities said. A video doing rounds on social media showed waterlogging in many parts of Kochi city, some towns and villages in Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Kottayam districts, making life miserable for the people living there. Heavy rains and waterlogging have delayed Athachamayam’ celebrations in Tripunithura near here, heralding the start of the 10-day ‘Onam’ festivities in Kerala. District collectors have declared holidays for schools in flood-hit taluks in many central districts of the state. The water level rose in Kuttanad, the rice bowl of coastal Alappuzha district, as the rivers flowing through the region breached its territory at many places. In its latest advisory, Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said one or two places in the districts of Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kottayam will receive heavy rains today. The rise in water level in many rivers has been reported as the hilly regions of central Kerala have been receiving heavy rains for the past few days. Five members of a family had lost their lives after a landslide, triggered by heavy rains, hit their house at a village near Thodupuzha in Idukki district in the small hours of Monday.