One dead, two missing as heavy rain batters Kannur; Wayanad gets respite
Heavy rain continued to batter Kannur and Kasaragod districts on Sunday (August 2, 2026), inundating low-lying areas, triggering landslips, disrupting road traffic and forcing hundreds
Heavy rain continued to batter Kannur and Kasaragod districts on Sunday (August 2, 2026), inundating low-lying areas, triggering landslips, disrupting road traffic and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate to relief camps. In Kannur, heavy rain affected 32 villages. One person died, two people, including a rescue volunteer, went missing after being swept away by swollen rivers, and one person was injured. The deceased was identified as Rareesh of Kalashparambath. Four landslips were reported and 47 houses sustained partial damage. According to the district administration, 905 people were staying in 18 relief camps, while Iritty taluk remained the worst affected. A major landslip at Chekuthan Thodu near Palchuram in Kottiyoor blocked the road after huge boulders fell onto the carriageway. Several areas remained cut off after bridges were submerged. Floodwaters entered houses in Peratta, Pulittattu and Aralam, forcing dozens of families into relief camps.
The Palappura bridge at Murukunnu, the Vattiyamthodu bridge, the Manikkadavu Chappath bridge and several other crossings were submerged. Compound walls and houses were damaged in Thalassery, Panappuzha and other places due to landslips and heavy rain. Amid the threat of further landslides, District Collector P. Vishnuraj ordered the closure of the Boys Town-Palchuram road connecting Kannur and Wayanad. Traffic was diverted at Kottiyoor and Boys Town. Meanwhile, CPI(M) Kannur district secretary K.K. Ragesh urged the State government to step up emergency intervention in the rain-hit high-range areas of the district. He claimed that rescue operations in many areas were being carried out largely by local residents and youth organisations, and alleged that Fire and Rescue Services personnel had yet to reach some of the affected areas. He also called for the immediate restoration of damaged roads and snapped power lines.
In Kasaragod In Kasaragod, heavy rain continued to cause widespread disruption, though no deaths or missing persons were reported. Two landslips were reported at Thayyeni in Pallavayal village and Kattamkavala in Maloth village, while four houses sustained partial damage at Kurinji in Panthady village, Ujjampady in Delampady village, and in Padre and Bayar villages. As a precaution, the district administration shifted residents from vulnerable areas to safer locations. Six relief camps were sheltering 325 people, including 132 men, 143 women and 50 children. The district administrations urged the public to remain vigilant, avoid vulnerable areas and strictly follow official advisories as heavy rain and the threat of landslides persisted. In Wayanad Though Wayanad heaved a sigh of relief as the heavy downpour eased on Sunday, many parts of the district were yet to fully recover from the continuous showers of the past few days.
The BriefWire