Flooded rivers keep Central Travancore on the edge

Low-lying parts of Kottayam Town flooded, 225 people accommodated in 10 relief camps

Even as the torrential showers that hit different parts of the region the other day stayed away on Tuesday, the overflowing rivers and brimming reservoirs reservoirs kept the Central Travancore region on the edge for another day.

Water level in all major rivers across the region witnessed a sharp rise owing to the extreme rains that hit the high ranges for several hours from Monday evening. Water level in the Meenachil river, which had crossed the warning level in the morning, receded by afternoon. The Manimala river too recorded a sharp rise in water level , although well within the warning levels.

The unusually heavy rain for the region also heaped misery on farmers, who are certain to lose a substantial portion of their Onam crop.

The low-lying parts of the Kottayam town, meanwhile, experienced heavy flooding with the run-off water from upper reaches including places like Pampady, which had witnessed flash floods, flowing in. Vehicles and pedestrians were seen pushing through the flood waters on several roads.

The flood waters, meanwhile, also ran into several homes in the western-side of Kottayam town. The authorities have opened ten relief camps in the district, which accommodated 225 people from 60 families.

Meanwhile, people residing in areas including Pampady, Karukachal, Nedumkunnam and Thottakkad, which had witnessed flash floods the other day, returned to their homes and kick started the clean-up operations.

Groups equipped with gloves and pressure cleaners, pulled out the soaked furniture from the flood-hit homes and placed them under the sun. The thick layers of mud, scooped up from houses using shovels, were carted off for dumping.