A cardamom plantation hit by a landslide near Attappallam in Kumily, Idukki. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Torrential rain on Friday and Saturday triggered more than 18 major and minor landslides in Kumily grama panchayat of Idukki, causing widespread loss of crops and property. Damage was reported in Pathumury, Attappallam, Kumily, Murukkady, Valiyakandam and Vellaramkunnu in the panchayat due to heavy rain. Waterlogging occurred in hundreds of houses and shops in the towns of Kumily and Onnam Mile.
A series of landslides in the panchayat destroyed acres of cardamom plantations. Babychen Kanjiram said the crop of nearly one acre of his cardamom plantation, out of a total of 1.3 acres, was washed away in a major landslide in Attappallam on Saturday. There were 11 major and minor landslides in Attappallam alone.
Stany Pothen, president of the Cardamom Planters Federation, said Vellaramkunnu recorded 228.3 mm of rainfall in 48 hours. “Heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday led to widespread crop destruction in cardamom plantations in the district. But it will take time to get compensation and even then it would not cover our loss,” he said.
According to agriculture department data, Nedumkandam, Karunapuram, Vandanmedu, Chakkupallom, Kumily, Erattayar, Vandanmedu, Kanchiyar, Vathikkudy, Kattappana and Edavetty areas witnessed crop loss worth ₹1.47 crore from 81.44 hectares of land. “The cardamom sector suffered a heavy loss and lost a crop worth Rs 44.7 lakh in 57.82 hectares,” the official said. Collection of details regarding crop loss in recent rain is still ongoing.
Severe waterlogging
The town of Kumily, a tourism hub and a major halt for Sabarimala pilgrims, witnessed heavy waterlogging on Friday and Saturday night, leading to damage worth thousands of crores to facilities on the Kottarakkara-Dindigul National Highway here.
A unit of Kumily Trade Association blocks the Kottarakkara-Dindigul National Highway at Kumily in Idukki on Tuesday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
The Kumila unit of the Traders Association blocked the state highway near the Kumila post office on Tuesday, demanding a solution to the city’s recurring water problem.
Sanoop Puthupparampil, president, Merchants Association Youth Wing, Kumily unit, said that vendors have suffered damages worth thousands of crores, adding that authorities have failed to provide solutions to rain-related problems in the city.
The first victim
Parappallil Thomas alias Thankachan, 66, died on Saturday after his two-wheeler got caught under falling debris on the Kumily-Anavilasom-Kattappana road near Vellaramkunnu, making him the first rain-related casualty in Idukki.
Meanwhile, a red alert was issued for the district on Wednesday and the district collector declared holidays for educational institutions. The collector also banned water and adventure tourism activities in the district on Wednesday.
All the 13 spillway gates of the Mullaperiyar Dam remained open on Tuesday, releasing 6033 cusecs of water into the Periyar River. The water level in the dam on Tuesday morning was 138.5 ft.
Published – 21 Oct 2025 20:17 IST
