Relentless rainfall continued to lash Kochi and surrounding areas of Ernakulam district for the eighth consecutive day on Friday, raising fears of urban flooding as major city canals crossed warning levels.
The weather department, which had initially issued a yellow alert for Saturday, upgraded it to orange after heavy morning showers dashed hopes of respite. In central Kochi, the Vivekananda Canal has emerged as a major concern. The narrow waterway, surrounded by densely populated areas, has been overflowing. Officials from the irrigation department have submitted an estimate for its cleaning to the district administration, though any on-ground efforts depend on a break in the downpour. Emergency pumping has begun, diverting water into the partially restored Mullassery Canal, which is reportedly 80% complete. However, continued inflow, including from unidentified drainage lines, threatens to overwhelm the system. Waterlogging has worsened in key parts of the city, including near the Ernakulam South railway station, the KSRTC bus stand, and on Vivekananda Road. Desilting work on the Thevara Perandoor Canal has been halted due to safety concerns for sanitation workers.
Coastal areas have also been hit hard. In Chellanam panchayat, located along the coast, nearly half of the 3,000 households between Puthenthodu and Beach Road face a growing risk of seawater intrusion. Already, water has entered around 300 homes, according to V.T. Sebastian, general convenor of the Chellanam-Kochi Janakeeya Vedhi. The situation is worsened by two daily high tides. Meanwhile, West Kochi neighbourhoods like Thoppumpadi and Edakochi continue to experience waterlogging, with low-lying zones bearing the brunt. Local representatives blame the crisis on a long-standing failure to clean and deepen major canals. “Neglect of the Thevara Perandoor, Karanakkodam, and Edappally Canals is affecting large residential pockets. With more rain expected, the situation could deteriorate over the next three months,” said M.G. Aristitle, Congress councillor and UDF parliamentary party secretary in Kochi Corporation.
The district administration is on high alert, closely monitoring canal levels and urban flooding risk as residents brace for more extreme weather.
