Kerala rains updates: 8 dead, over 500 shifted to relief camps amid fresh floods; IMD issues 'orange' alert
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Kerala rains updates: 8 dead, over 500 shifted to relief camps amid fresh floods; IMD issues 'orange' alert")
Area near Aluva Shiva Temple was seen inundated with floodwaters. Photograph: (PTI)
The destruction due to rainwater followed a month after a deadly debris slip occurred due to extreme rainfall, claiming the lives of eight people at a tunnel construction site in Wayanad.
Heavy rain triggered landslips, flash floods, and widespread destruction, particularly in hilly regions, claiming the lives of at least 8 people in Kerala. The rain-related incidents occurred in the state as a spell of heavy rain battered the State from Friday (July 31, 2026) night into Saturday (August 1, 2026). Over 500 people have been shifted to relief camps as rescue operations continue.
The destruction followed a month after a deadly debris slip occurred due to extreme rainfall, claiming the lives of eight people at a tunnel construction site in Wayanad. Meanwhile, Chief Minister VD Satheeshan contacted the Revenue Minister, the Chief Secretary, and the District Collectors in the wake of the heavy rains continuing across Kerala and multiple reports of landslips and mudslides in some places in the state.
Orange alert issued
Following the development, the IMD issued orange alerts for all Districts of Kerala other than Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, as of 10 p.m. on Saturday (August 1, 2026). In addition, the Travancore Devaswom Board has issued a security alert for devotees planning to visit Sabarimala on August 2 and 3, 2026, advising them to reconsider the visit.
Meanwhile, water levels in the Idukki reservoir rose by nearly 6 feet over 24 hours. The level reached 2,336.04 ft as of 1:00 p.m. today, up from 2,330.90 ft recorded at 7:00 a.m. the previous day. According to a Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) dam safety official, the reservoir's catchment area received 154 mm of rainfall during this period.
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The official also pointed out that on August 7, 2020, the dam saw a single-day rise of 6.18 ft in storage, followed by an additional 5.5 ft increase the next day. “That was the highest inflow to the dam in recent memory. In 2020, the water level rose from 2,347 ft to 2,353 ft in a single day, driven by 226 mm of rainfall in the catchment areas. As the reservoir level rises, the surface area expands, meaning a larger volume of water is required to achieve each additional foot of storage,” the official explained.
