Kozhikode: The residents of Koorachundu grama panchayath in Kozhikode are living in constant dread of landslips. Boulders rolling downhill triggered by landslips have become a recurring event especially at Kakkayam and Kallanode. Koorachundu is a mountainous area filled with steep hills and deep forests
Residents said that presence of huge boulders in the area and threat of frequent landslips during rainy season pose threat to their lives. The place has witnessed many events of landslips during this monsoon.
Kakkayam dam site road, Manichery Mala and its valleys in Kallanodu are the most vulnerable areas. On Thursday a land slip hit the Dam site road, just after a vehicle with the staff from the hydel tourism centre passed by. A huge boulder and a few rocks rolled down to the road. Though the boulder was broken and removed from the middle of the road, considering the possibility of another land slip, the public works department has banned traffic through this road until further notice.
On Wednesday, another landslip hit the same road carrying big rocks and small boulders. This is the single pathway for the hundreds of visitors to the eco-hydel tourism centres and for the staff of the dam and related offices.
"The stretch covering 14 kilometres was built in 1960s after converting a rocky area spread over a kilometre. So the rocks are coming down frequently from the upper side of the road. A study is required in this area," said Andrews Kattikkana, former ward member of Kakkayam.
The worst affected area in the grama panchayat is Illippilayi in Kallanode, 14 kilometres away from Kakkayam. In 2019, Illippilayi witnessed a huge landslide, which claimed nine lives. In June, a huge boulder which rolled down from the Manichery Mala following a landslip got stuck on its way and now it poses a major threat to the residents in the valley.
Every monsoon season, the residents have been forced to move to relatives' houses.
"It's a repeated affair for the residents in Illippilayi. Now that the huge boulder poses a big threat to the families living in the valley, we requested the taluk and district authorities to do something. Once MK Raghavan MP visited here and then the NDRF team had also been here, but there is no solution yet," said Simily Biju, ward member.
Simily was a resident of this area, but has shifted to a rented house in a safe area with her family. Periamala in Kallanode is another place prone to landslips. Recently, in June, nearly an acre of land was washed away and a farm house was damaged in a landslide that happened at 28th mile, Periamala.