Sea erosion also reported in battered coastal areas

The worst floods to hit in the last two decades have ravaged the Kuttanad region. The floodwater has submerged the entire region and forced large number of families to leave their homes.

The water level in the region has increased to dangerous levels owing to heavy downpour in recent days and flow of water from neighbouring areas.

Officials said that the Revenue Department had opened 375 gruel centres in Kuttanad taluk for 86, 839 people of 22,120 families. Officials added that hundreds of families had been displaced and were staying with relatives or living at temporary shelters.

The floodwaters breached bunds across the region and flooded houses and destroyed paddy cultivation. Around 80 houses were destroyed in the region. The floodwater has submerged large tracts of paddy fields. As per the statistics available with the Agriculture Department, flood has ravaged paddy cultivation in 7,316 ha.

Lackadaisical attitude

Local residents have blamed the lackadaisical attitude on the part of constructing more outer bunds and strengthening existing ones for worsening of the situation. On Wednesday, the district administration entrusted a deputy collector to coordinate relief operations in Kuttanad. The places worst hit by bund breaches include Aarupanku, Cherukali Kayal, Kuppappuram, Kanakasserry, Paruthu Valavu, Champakulam, Padachal and Valiyathuruthu, Pulinkunnu among other places.

Meanwhile, the flood situation continued to remain grim in others parts of the district on Wednesday. The district administration has so far opened 194 relief camps in the district. Officials said that 43,675 people of 11,090 families had been shifted to relief camps. Sea erosion also reported in battered coastal areas including Cherthala, Ambalappuzha and Karthikappally.

District Collector S. Suhas has declared a holiday for educational institutions including professional colleges in Kuttanad and Chengannur taluks on Thursday. Educational institutions except professional colleges in Cherthala, Ambalappuzha, Mavelikara and Karthikappally taluks will remain closed.