Kerala floods 2026: several parts of Kottayam still inundated, over 3,700 shifted to relief camps
Heavy rains have caused severe flooding in Kerala's Kottayam district, forcing thousands into relief camps as rivers breach their banks. Many areas remain submerged, with water levels reportedly exceeding those of the 2018 floods.
Why it matters
The recurring nature of extreme weather events in Kerala underscores the urgent need for climate-resilient infrastructure and disaster management.
Even as rain eased briefly during the day on Monday (August 3, 2026), the respite proved deceptive in Kottayam. Overnight downpours unleashed fresh flooding along the downstream stretches of the Meenachil river and across the low-lying upper Kuttanad region, inundating hundreds of homes and forcing residents to flee to relief camps.
The worst of the devastation was witnessed in the low-lying pockets of Kottayam district, where overflowing rivers submerged vast swathes of Kottayam, Vaikom and Changanassery taluks. Residents said floodwaters had risen higher than during the catastrophic 2018 deluge. Thiruvarppu panchayat was almost entirely submerged, while more than half of Ayamanam and the eastern parts of Kumarakom panchayat also went under water.
Parts of Manarcad, Vijayapuram, Udayanapuram and Vechoor panchayats, along with several areas in Vaikom municipality, were also reeling under floodwaters after rivers spilled over their banks.
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