Rescue personnel and people during a rescue operation following a landslide due to rain-triggered floods in Kottayam on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Three persons, including an 11-year-old boy, died and widespread damage was reported across Kottayam district as torrential rain that lashed the eastern high ranges from Friday evening triggered landslips, flash floods and overflowing rivers on Saturday.Two of the deaths occurred at Payyanithottam in Poonjar Thekkekara, where a landslip buried a house in the early hours of Saturday. The victims were identified as Josephin Johny, 27, and his mother, Rejeena Johny, 49.The landslip occurred when a section of the hillside adjoining their house collapsed following incessant rain, sending a large mass of earth crashing onto the building and burying it under debris.Escaped unhurtJosephin’s father, M.J. Johny, escaped unhurt as he was at a neighbouring house when the landslip struck. The couple’s two daughters, Jomit and Somit, were also away from home. Josephin, who worked at the canteen of an engineering college at Choondacherry, had been recuperating at home after sustaining a leg injury in a motorcycle accident at Erattupetta about a month ago. Rejeena was an employee of a private school at Payyanithottam, while Johny works as a school bus driver.Local residents said the landslip originated from the Idamala hillside, an area with no known history of major landslips. Personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services, the police and the Revenue department launched rescue operations immediately, but the woman and son could not be saved. Their bodies were later recovered from the debris.Fell inro pitThe third victim was Milan K. Shinu,11, of Thottakkad in Vakathanam panchayat. He died after falling into a waterlogged pit dug for Jal Jeevan Mission works around 10.40 a.m. Though he was rescued and rushed to hospital, his life could not be saved.The heavy rain also caused substantial damage to livestock. At Theekoy, floodwaters rushing down from the hills inundated the dairy farm of Anil Kumar of Puthenpurackal in the early hours of Saturday, killing 11 cattle that had been tethered inside the cowshed.Multiple landslips were reported from the eastern high ranges as the Meenachil river overflowed its banks, inundating low-lying areas. Floodwaters entered several commercial establishments in Erattupetta town, where traders said the flooding was worse than that witnessed during the devastating 2018 deluge. Shop owners estimated losses running into lakhs of rupees.As the rain eased on Saturday morning, water levels began receding in the eastern high-range areas by evening. However, authorities warned that the runoff would raise water levels further downstream. By afternoon, floodwaters entered parts of Pala town as the Meenachil continued to flow in full spate after breaching its banks at several places.The Manimala river was also in spate while its major tributary, the Pullakayar, witnessed a heavy inflow of water following minor landslips in the Koottickal and Kokkayar region in the Wagamon valley. Although floodwaters that submerged the Mundakayam causeway in the morning later receded, parts of Manimala town remained inundated, causing heavy losses to business establishments.Ten relief camps, including six in Kanjirappally taluk, were opened across the district, providing shelter to 327 people. Published - August 01, 2026 06:33 pm IST
