Normal life was brought to its knees by a spell of heavy, incessant rain akin to a cloudburst accompanied by strong winds that lasted a couple of hours in Kochi in Ernakulam district of Kerala on May 28 morning.
The episode left roads and houses in many pockets inundated, damaged three houses partially and left motorists stranded across Kochi city as traffic was brought to a grinding halt.
Subsequently, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) scaled up the alert for Ernakulam district from ‘yellow’ to ‘red’ warning of extremely heavy rainfall in some areas.
Influence of Cyclone Remal
The automated weather station on the campus of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) at Kalamassery measured the rainfall at 98.4 mm during an hour from 9 a.m. on May 28.
“Rainfall of 100 mm during an hour is qualified as cloudburst. The heavy spell of rain will continue on and off for the next couple of days under the influence of Cyclone Remal. The westerly wind has also strengthened, dragging increased vapour from the Arabian Sea towards the land,” said S. Abhilash, director, Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research, Cusat.
Kalamassery municipality area received 150 mm rainfall during a three-hour period, while Palluruthy received 98 mm, Choondi 54 mm and Mattancherry 34.5 mm rainfall during the period.
IT hub hit hard
The IT hub at Infopark Kochi at Thrikkakara was one of the worst affected as the campus and roads leading to the park were fully flooded. Employees headed to the park in two-wheelers and four-wheelers had a tough time navigating almost knee-high waters.
Waterlogging at M.G. Road at Kochi in Ernakulam district of Kerala following heavy rains on May 28 morning. | Photo Credit: H. Vibhu
Traffic from Kakkanad to Palarivattom along the Civil Line Road and the national highway stretch between Palarivattom and Vytilla and Palarivattom and Edappally proved a nightmare for motorists as they got stranded in these stretches for hours. The service roads of the highway were also choc-a-bloc even as the dug-up state of the highway at Edappally as part of ongoing national highway widening works did not help either. Traffic along the flooded Sahodaran Ayyappan Road was also affected.
“It took us over two-and-a-hours for to reach Edappally from Kakkanad. What are they doing about these pathetic drains?” fumed a car passenger.
Dinesh Neelakantan, who heads operations at a film school at Edappally, said he got stranded on the Palarivattom flyover for 40 minutes and later returned home as he was unable to reach office. A couple stranded along the highway on their way to Aster Medcity from Thripunithura was left after missing an appointment with the doctor.
Padmaja S. Menon, councillor for the Ernakulam South division that has faced recurrent inundation, including at M.G. Road and the South railway station, said was planning to approach the Kerala High Court for the “mental anguish” being caused to the residents and shopkeepers.
Teen drowns
Eldhose, 18, of Kombanad village in Ernakulam rural was reported drowned after getting caught in the strong current in Paniyeli Thodu on May 27 evening. He had gone there for bathing with his friends. Though he was rescued and rushed to a hospital in Kothamangalam, he died around 7 p.m.
The house of noted critic M. Leelavathy at Kalamassery was flooded in the rainfall, destroying a part of her valuable book collection. She has since moved in with her son.
House of noted critic M. Leelavathy at Kalamassery in Kochi that was flooded following heavy rains on May 28. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Severe flooding was reported in majority of the areas in Kochi Corporation, with Kanayannur taluk being the worst affected, and Kalamassery municipality.
A tree fell on a KSRTC bus that stopped at a bus stand at Thoppumpady. However, none was injured.
Country vessel capsizes
A small country vessel carrying five elderly fishermen capsized in the sea near Saudi in Rameshwaram village in West Kochi. The fishermen swam to safety. Though not seriously injured, they were admitted to Karuvelipady hospital.
The front portion of a house, including a well, caved in at Kusumagiri in Kakkanad village. While none was injured, the occupants of the house were set to be relocated.
Houses in Rameshwaram colony in the low-lying area of Nazreth division were inundated. Shaila Thadhevoose, councillor for the Chullickal division in West Kochi, said that 100-odd houses were inundated. “Not cleaning the kayal mouth facilitating smooth flow of water through Rameshwaram canal and Pandarachira thodu resulted in the flooding,” she said.
A camp has been opened in Kakkanad for 20 members from nine families facing soil erosion at Keerelimala.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel across Ernakulam district were kept busy with distress calls, chiefly about uprooted trees, kept pouring in at fire stations.
