The intensifying northeast monsoon claimed its first life in Kerala’s mountainous Idukki district on Sunday (October 19, 2025), as intense overnight rain inundated roads and homes, swept away parked vehicles, and triggered mudslides. Traffic came to a halt while powerlines and mobile phone networks were also hit.
The intense rain also wreaked havoc in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district bordering Idukki, with traffic being affected on the district’s Kumali inter-State ghat road due to a mudslide.
With water being released from the Mullaperiyar reservoir into the Periyar river since Saturday, villages along the river in Kerala reported flooding. At 7 p.m. on Sunday, the water level in the dam stood at 139.15 ft. The inflow into the dam was around 9,521 cusecs and outflow was around 8,551 cusecs, officials said.
The Kerala government had warned residents living downstream of the Mullaperiyar dam to exercise caution.
Shaji Kurishumood, a resident of Vallakadavu, abutting the banks of the Periyar, said the release of water from the Mullaperiyar dam had inundated at least five homes in the locality. Residents at Ayyappancovil, Vikas Nagar, Karruppupalam, Manjumala, Aatooram, Kadashikkadavu and Vandiperiyar were also facing flooding.
First causality in Idukki
Amid the rain on Sunday, Idukki saw its first casualty when Parappallil Thomas alias Thankachan, 66, was killed after his two-wheeler got caught under falling debris on the Kumily-Anavilasom-Kattappana road near Vellaramkunnu.
Idukki’s Kumily panchayat was among the worst hit, with neighbourhoods in Onnam Mile, Atta Palam, Kumily town, Periyar Colony, Chelimala, Valiyakandan and Anavachal reporting flooding.
A resident, Jaison Thekkady, told The Hindu that the rising floodwater surprised scores of residents, forcing them to move to upper floors or houses of relatives on higher ground.
Landslips and mudslides severely affected Vellaramkunnu, a small village under Kumily panchayat. Near Swapna Junction in Vellaramkunnu, a major landslip occurred, causing damage to nearly one acre of cardamom plantation. Streams overflowed and floodwaters entered many homes in the village.
A major landslip occurred near Swapna Junction in Vellaramkunnu under Kumily panchayat, in Idukki, damaging nearly one acre of cardamom plantation.
| Photo Credit:
JOMON PAMPAVALLEY
The rain also disrupted traffic along the Gudalloor-Kozhikode road passing through Manimoola in the Malappuram district. The heavy spell caused the water levels to rise significantly in the Karakodam, Kalakkad and Athithode Rivers in the district.
Overnight rains also caused minimal flooding in Kochi, inconveniencing early morning commuters, including two-wheeler riders.
Kerala Revenue Minister K. Rajan requested citizens to exercise caution and avoid driving during the night along hilly routes till October 24. He said the latest spell of intense rain appeared isolated and not widespread, as was the case in 2018 and 2019.
The government had warned fisherfolk from venturing into sea after the IMD forecast choppy littoral waters.
Man dead in T.N.
In Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district bordering Theni, the body of a farmer, Ramachandran, 49, who was washed away on Friday while crossing a flooded causeway on a two-wheeler along with two of his relatives, was found on Saturday. The two relatives had swum to safety. Following widespread rain in Western Ghats over the last two days, water flow has been steadily rising in the reservoirs and tanks in the district.
In Theni, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department declared the Suruli waterfalls off limits for tourists. Former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and his son O.P. Ravindhranath toured the flood-hit localities in the district.
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Published – October 19, 2025 10:55 pm IST
