Kerala continues to be in a state of severe monsoon conditions as heavy rainfall has caused landslides and flooding in many districts to occur and has killed at least three people across Kerala and disrupting daily life. The worst affected areas are Idukki and Kottayam districts, where rivers are overflowing, roads are flooded, residential areas are inundated, and roads become impassable.
One of the deaths was in Adoormala, which is located in the district of Idukki near Kudayathoor, where a landslide hit a house at around 6 a.m. on Saturday. Sumathi lost her life after the landslide struck her family house. As a result, residents managed to rescue her husband and son, both of whom sustained injuries and were taken to Thodupuzha hospital for medical treatment.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Fire and Rescue Services, police and revenue officials conducted extensive search operations in the area before recovering Sumathi’s body. Local authorities confirmed that the family’s house was destroyed in the landslide.
In another tragic incident from Payyanithottam in Poonjar, Kottayam district, a landslide took the life of Joseph, the son of resident Johny. Rescuers were able to pull him out from under the mud and rush him to a hospital, but he died while he was in the process. Joseph’s mother is believed to be still caught in the mud, and a search is on.
In a separate incident in Vagamon, a popular hill station in Idukki district, another landslide killed Prabhakaran Nair, a native of Vaikom. He was sleeping at a relative's house at the time of the landslide, and the rescue team found his body after hours of search.
The continuous rainfall has seriously compromised transportation and infrastructure in Idukki district. Floodwater and landslides in areas where heavy rains have inundated roads and made the transportation and infrastructure in the district to be affected. In Upputhara, a police jeep parked in a vulnerable area was damaged when landslide debris hit the police jeep. The Pullakkayar River submerged a low-level bridge in Kokkayar, and authorities evacuated families from at least six houses in Kokkayar to safer places to escape.
#WATCH | Pathanamthitta, Keralam: Following extremely heavy rainfall, flash floods from the hilly regions of Pathanamthitta have caused the Pamba River to overflow, with water levels rising rapidly in Ranni town.
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2026
Rescue operations by the administration and emergency teams are… https://t.co/ofHArZmlo2 pic.twitter.com/XsdaHedHdb
There are also landslides on the Kattappana-Valavadu road, and traffic has been shut down. The Chottupara stream along Vandiperiyar has flooded some sections of the National Highway 183, and commuters and emergency personnel have been affected. Road connectivity has also been affected in Nellikunnu and surrounding areas.
Floods have worsened in a number of parts of Kottayam district particularly in Erattupetta, Kanjirappalli, and Koottickal. In the city of Erattupetta, water levels have been rising rapidly in a number of areas where water levels fell, and vehicle traffic was suspended in Erattupetta town. Traffic stopped due to the heavy rainfall as water levels rose rapidly. Many houses had been inundated, and rescue teams, with the help of residents, evacuated people who had been trapped in the upper floors of buildings.
The Manimala and Pullakkayar rivers have overflowed in Koottickal and Mundakayam, submerging low-level bridges and cutting off access to certain areas. Similar issues have been raised in Pathanamthitta district, with rising water levels in the Pampa River putting it at high risk of flooding. Connectivity problems in Ranni have forced authorities to deploy boats and set up relief camps for impacted communities.
Besides central Kerala, reports of flooding and small landslides have also come from parts of Kollam, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakkad districts. Emergency teams are on high alert as rainfall continues in the state.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alerts for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts for very heavy rainfall. Orange alerts have been issued for Ernakulam and Thrissur districts, and Palakkad district for continued adverse weather conditions.
Residents in vulnerable areas should be alert, avoid the need for unnecessary travel and follow evacuation orders given by local government officials. Rain continued to fall, and disaster management agencies are monitoring the situation and working effectively to coordinate rescue and relief efforts in the state’s most vulnerable areas.
