Severe Flooding and Landslides Paralyze Kannur as Two Men Vanish in Rising Waters
Intense monsoon rainfall has triggered a crisis in Kerala's Kannur district, leading to evacuations and infrastructure damage. Emergency teams are currently searching for two missing men swept away by overflowing rivers.
Key takeaways
- Two men, including a swimming instructor, remain missing after being swept away by the Kunhirapuzha and Kariyangode rivers.
- The District Disaster Management Authority imposed a night traffic ban between Kannur and Wayanad due to landslide risks.
- Emergency shutters at the Pazhassi dam were raised following heavy rainfall in the reservoir's catchment areas.
- Tourist activities, including rafting at the Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary and kayaking, have been suspended indefinitely.
- Twenty-six residents from Ulikkal grama panchayat were relocated to a relief camp after floodwaters inundated their homes.
Rescue Operations and Missing Persons
Extreme rainfall across the hilly corridors of Kannur district on August 1, 2026, resulted in life-threatening conditions and the disappearance of two individuals. In Peravur, 40-year-old Hanifa was swept away by the Kunhirapuzha river at Kottamchuram. Simultaneously, Rajesh, a swimming instructor from Thiruvananthapuram, went missing at Meenthulli in Pullingome village while attempting to rescue a person stranded on a river island. Search and rescue teams continue to monitor these locations.
Emergency responders successfully evacuated 26 people, including seven children, from flooded homes in Peratta Thottipalam after water breached the Ulikkal grama panchayat area. Additionally, five families from a river island in Kozhichal were relocated to safety as the Kariyangode river surged. In a separate operation at Thuruth, residents and fire services personnel rescued a woman named Sumathi who had become trapped by rising waters.
Infrastructure Damage and Connectivity Halts
The deluge has severely compromised regional transport and infrastructure. The Bavali River overflowed its banks, submerging the Palapuzha bridge near Iritty. In Ulikkal panchayat, the Mattara, Vayathur, and Vattiamthode bridges were also rendered impassable by floodwaters. Damage to the Boys Town-Palchuram road has severed primary transit between Kannur and Wayanad.
To mitigate the risk of casualties from landslides, the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) instituted a mandatory night traffic ban on the Boys Town-Palchuram route from 6 p.m. on Saturday until 6 a.m. on Sunday, August 2, 2026.
Official Directives and Public Safety Measures
District Collector P. Vishnuraj convened two emergency DDMA sessions to coordinate the response. Following a sharp rise in catchment area intake, officials raised the shutters of the Pazhassi dam, prompting an immediate alert for those residing along the riverbanks. The district administration has enforced the following restrictions:
- Temporary closure of all waterfalls, beach parks, and tourism hubs.
- Suspension of rafting and kayaking on the Kariyangode river.
- Total ban on vehicle entry at Muzhappilangad beach.
- Closure of the Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary due to inundation.
Authorities have instructed officials to maintain operational readiness at all emergency shelters and have advised the public to stay clear of coastal areas due to increasingly rough sea conditions.
Source: The Hindu — National
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