Woman scooter rider killed in Teekoy landslide; Four missing in Malappuram flash flood

KOTTAYAM: A woman riding a two-wheeler met a tragic end after being caught in a landslide at Teekoy amidst heavy rains on Sunday night. Sangeetha Arullal, a native of Theni, died in the accident, which occurred at Velathussery. The tragedy struck amid intense rainfall in the hilly terrain of Kottayam and Idukki.

The eastern region of Kottayam district has been experiencing heavy rain since yesterday afternoon. The Automatic Weather Station of CUSAT in the Vagamon area recorded 157 mm of rainfall between 3 PM and 5 PM. The rain also triggered a landslide on the Erattupetta-Vagamon road. Soil collapsed onto the road near Karikad Top, damaging two cars. However, the occupants escaped unhurt. Traffic was disrupted for several hours following the landslide and was restored only around 7 PM.

Heavy rain continues in the Vellikkulam and Teekoy areas. Authorities warned against unnecessary travel due to the risk of landslides and flash floods in the hilly regions. There is also a possibility of rising water levels in the Meenachil River, which could lead to inundation in low-lying areas of Teekoy, Erattupetta, and Pala.

Meanwhile, four people were swept away by a flash flood in the Kottapuzha River at TK Colony, Malappuram. Two bodies were recovered, and the search for the others is ongoing. An 'Orange Alert' has been issued for the Idukki and Kottayam districts for the next three hours, with warnings of strong winds reaching speeds of up to 40 km/h. 'Yellow Alerts' have also been declared for Kannur, Wayanad, Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta, and Thiruvananthapuram. The weather forecast indicates that isolated heavy rainfall will persist across the state due to the influence of a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal; there is also a possibility of thunderstorms.