The eastern high ranges of Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts, battered by torrential rain since Friday (July 31, 2026) evening, have been ravaged by a series of landslips and flash floods, leaving one person dead, two others missing, and causing widespread damage to houses, roads and crops.

The deceased has been identified as Josephin Johny Manappatt, a resident of Payanithodu in Poonjar. According to rescue officials, a massive landslip struck his house, located at the foot of a hill and buried it under debris.