Kerala’s Sudden Rain Fury Triggers Floods, Landslides, Revives 2018 Memories

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 3

Kerala’s abrupt shift from a prolonged rainfall deficit to intense downpours, flash floods and landslides in the first week of August has renewed concerns over the State’s growing vulnerability to increasingly erratic weather patterns.

Pathanamthitta and Kozhikode were among the worst-affected districts as exceptionally heavy rain lashed several areas within a short period, triggering landslides, inundating low-lying regions and forcing thousands of people to leave their homes.

The intensity of the rainfall was particularly severe in Pathanamthitta. During the 24 hours ending August 1, Vadasserikkara recorded 361 mm of rain, while Laha received 250 mm. In Kozhikode district, Anakkampoyil recorded around 340 mm over a 35-hour period, illustrating the highly concentrated nature of the downpour.

Persistent rain also created dangerous conditions along the Western Ghats, where saturated soil and unstable slopes increased the threat of landslides. Several landslips were reported from vulnerable areas as heavy rain continued.

At least eight people were killed in rain-related incidents, while eight others were reported missing. Authorities evacuated more than 5,792 people from vulnerable locations and shifted them to 209 relief camps as rescue and relief operations were stepped up.

Major rivers, including the Pamba, Manimala and Meenachil, rose rapidly following the downpour and overflowed their banks at several locations. Floodwaters entered houses, roads and commercial areas, prompting emergency evacuations from low-lying settlements.

The sudden deterioration in weather has revived memories of the catastrophic Kerala floods of 2018. While the current situation is not comparable with the scale of that disaster, the speed at which rivers rose and flooding spread has caused widespread concern.

The latest spell has also underscored the challenge of forecasting short-duration, high-intensity rainfall and the need to strengthen early-warning and disaster preparedness systems across Kerala’s environmentally fragile regions.