Several parts of Kerala were brought to its knees by heavy rainfall on Monday, July 15. A woman and her son died tragically in Palakkad district after their house collapsed onto them. Similar instances of houses collapsing and trees uprooted were observed in other districts, but no casualties have been reported yet. The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rainfall in the state till July 19. A red warning was issued to three districts on Monday -- Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod and two districts on Tuesday -- Kozhikode and Kannur. an orange warning was issued to seven districts on Tuesday, July 16: Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Wayanad, and Kasaragod. All other districts except for Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam have been given yellow warning.
The house collapsed in Palakkad’s Vadakkencherry on Tuesday after rains continued through the night. The deceased were identified as Sulochana and her son Rajith. According to reports, neighbours rushed after seeing the house collapse and assisted fire personnel to rescue the stranded family from under the rubble but the duo died en route to the hospital.
Amid rising water levels in Periyar river, the premises of Aluva Maha Deva temple were completely submerged and some devotees were reportedly stuck in the temple. In Alappuzha, at least three houses were damaged and traffic was disrupted. Several houses were damaged in Kozhikode, with some places reporting mudslides. According to reports, more than 20 houses were damaged in Pathanamthitta district and strong gusts uprooted trees. A few areas of Kottayam also incurred damages due to the downpour.
Advising caution, the IMD said that water logging on major roads and poor visibility may lead to traffic snarls. “Low-lying areas and river banks are more prone to damages caused by the rain. Uprooting of trees may cause damages related to the power sector. There are chances of landslide and landslip and the rains could cause an adverse impact on humans and livestock. Unsecured structures along the coastlines may be damaged,” IMD noted.