Kerala floods 2026: Two taluks in Idukki record over 200 mm rainfall
Two taluks in Idukki district witnessed over 200 mm of rainfall on Saturday, triggering a series of landslips and widespread damage across the region. According
Two taluks in Idukki district witnessed over 200 mm of rainfall on Saturday, triggering a series of landslips and widespread damage across the region. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data recorded from Friday morning to Saturday morning, Peerumade taluk recorded 213 mm of rainfall, while Thodupuzha taluk recorded 212.2 mm. The district received an average rainfall of 143 mm during the same period. Climatologist Gopakumar Cholayil noted that both the taluks receiving over 200 mm of rain directly contributed to the landslips. “When over 100 mm of rainfall occurs in a single hour in a localised area, it can be considered a cloudburst.
Both the taluks received extremely heavy rainfall, leading to massive damage. Based on private rain gauge data, the actual rainfall in these areas was very high,” he said. At midnight He further noted that in the recent landslips, extreme rainfall often hit during midnight while residents are in a deep sleep. “People often realise the actual impact of such extreme rainfall only after casualties occur,” he said. Following the torrential downpours, the district had witnessed numerous landslides and mudslides. A rain gauge on the Tyford Tea Estate recorded 384 mm of rainfall from Friday morning to Saturday morning. The estate is part of the Idukki Rain Monitoring project, an initiative by the Kanjirappally-based Swaruma Charitable Society.
Zachariah Njavallil, general secretary of the Swaruma Charitable Society said many tea and cardamom plantations have long-standing practices of tracking rainfall data. “Swaruma installed another rain gauge at Mukkulam in Kokkayar panchayat, which recorded 304 mm of heavy rainfall on Saturday morning. These recent extreme rainfall reports indicate the need for more localised rain gauges. We will install additional gauges across various parts of the district soon,” said Mr. Njavallil. As many as 187 people, comprising 73 men, 81 women, and 33 children, have been shifted to 13 relief camps across the district. The district, meanwhile, experienced lighter, moderate rainfall on Sunday, averaging 71.29 mm over the preceding 24 hours.
Water levels in the Idukki reservoir rose to 2,340.40 ft (37.78% capacity) on Sunday, while the water level at the Mullaperiyar dam reached 116.70 ft. The water level in the Idukki dam has surged by more than 10 ft within two days. The spillway shutters of the Malankara, Kallarkutty, Pambla and Kallar dams remain open. The District Collector Dineshan Cheruvatt has declared a holiday for all educational institutions, including Anganwadi, nurseries, schools, and colleges, in view of the heavy rainfall prediction in the district on Monday.
The BriefWire