Kerala Floods: Kottayam Begins Clean-Up as Water Recedes, Relief Ops Continue
As rainfall intensity eased on Sunday, August 2, 2026, the flood situation in Kottayam district remained precarious, with a steady inflow of water from the high ranges continuing to affect low-lying areas in the western parts of the district.
With floodwaters beginning to recede from several regions, residents in the worst-hit areas started the painstaking task of cleaning up. Houses along the upper reaches of the Meenachil river, which had remained submerged after the river overflowed, were found covered in thick layers of mud and silt. Roads remained inundated at several locations, and villages along the banks of Vembanad Lake were among the worst affected.
While the eastern parts of the district saw water levels gradually fall, the trail of destruction left behind by the deluge continued to disrupt normal life in Erattupetta, Pala, Kanjirappally and Koottickal. Several houses have become uninhabitable after being filled with mud and debris.
The sudden surge of water that swept through Erattupetta on Saturday caused extensive damage. Karakkad, located along the banks of the Meenachil river, emerged as one of the worst-affected areas. Over 100 houses were inundated, several of them suffering structural damage. Power supply was disrupted after KSEB transformers and electric poles were damaged. A well that served as a key source of drinking water for residents also collapsed. The region reported agricultural losses running into lakhs of rupees.
The floods also dealt a severe blow to traders in Erattupetta and Pala, where nearly 200 shops were inundated. Textile merchants who had stocked up ahead of Onam suffered losses running into lakhs of rupees. Cleaning operations are continuing in shops and houses, with residents noting that the accumulation of mud was far heavier than in previous floods.
In Pala, waterlogging continued in areas such as Kottaramattom and Mutholy, with several low-lying roads remaining submerged. Students were shifted from an entrance coaching centre after floodwaters entered the premises.
Meanwhile, the mortal remains of Regina Johny and her son Josephin, who died in a landslip at Payyanithottam, were laid to rest at St Alphonsa Church on Sunday.
In Theekoy, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Bindhu Krishna assured assistance to dairy farmer Anil Kumar, who lost 11 cows in the floods. After learning about the loss, the Minister contacted him over the phone and assured him of support. She said she would visit Theekoy on Monday to hand over replacement cattle to the farmer and assured that steps would be taken to ensure speedy disbursal of compensation, including assistance for the loss of livestock.
A district-level Disaster Management Authority meeting chaired by the Collector on Sunday reviewed the prevailing situation and assessed the progress of relief and rehabilitation activities. Department heads briefed the meeting on the current situation and the response measures being undertaken. Though water levels have started receding in several areas, the district continues to remain above the alert threshold.
As of Sunday, 34 relief camps were functioning in Kottayam taluk, providing shelter to 419 people.
