Thodupuzha: Torrential rain battered Kerala's hilly regions, triggering multiple landslides in Kottayam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts and leaving at least 4 people dead. Several houses were destroyed, rivers overflowed and widespread flooding disrupted road connectivity across the affected districts.

Three of the fatalities were reported from Kottayam and one from Idukki.

In Kottayam district, landslides were reported from several eastern regions. The Pamba, Manimala and Meenachil rivers overflowed, while major roads in Ranni, Manimala, Erattupetta and Pala were submerged.

In Idukki district, a woman identified as Sumathi, wife of Ravi Narayanan, was killed in a landslide at Adoor Mala near Thodupuzha. Her son, Ratheesh, was rescued with injuries by local residents.

In Poonjar's Payyanithottam, Regina, wife of Johny Manappattu, and their son Joseph died after a landslide destroyed their house. Joseph's body was recovered from beneath the debris, while Regina's body was found later during search operations.

Another person, 72-year-old Prabhakaran Nair from Vaikom, died after a landslide struck the house of his relative Leelamani in Vagamon.

Pathanamthitta District Collector said landslides had also occurred in the interior regions of Seethathode and Chittar. Floodwaters inundated roads in several places, disrupting traffic across the district.

Transport has been severely affected in all three districts, with landslides also blocking the Kottarakkara-Dindigul National Highway.

Heavy rain has lashed the hilly regions since Friday evening. Kerala State Disaster Management Authority member secretary Shekhar Kuriakose said reports of nearly 100 landslides had been received from across the state.

In view of the continuing heavy rain, authorities have declared a holiday for educational institutions in nine districts- Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Kannur.