Incessant rain slows down life in Ernakulam

Incessant rain lashed Kochi city and the larger Ernakulam through Wednesday (June 16, 2025) slowing down life even as the India Meteorological department sounded ‘orange’ alert for the district in the afternoon.

The city was more or less spared of waterlogging, thanks to the relatively low-intensity rainfall, though it continued more or less without a break throughout the day. Officials of the Kochi Corporation health wing the Minor Irrigation department said they did not receive any complaint about waterlogging from anywhere in the city except for the runoff water effect in some pockets.

“Runoff water posed minor problems on some roads in Edakochi like Ambedkar Road and the Padashekharam Road,” said Abhilash Thoppil, councillor for the Edakochi South division.

The monsoon gathering further momentum spawned a nightmare for 77 families of the P&T Apartment Complex at Mundamveli, as their apartments continue to leak — a problem they have been facing since February 2024 whenever the rain intensifies. IIT Madras, appointed as the consultant to recommend solutions for the structural flaws in the building, is yet to issue the building stability certificate — a precondition for carrying out the truss work sanctioned by the district administration and to be executed by the Corporation — as well as the truss work design.

“At least the truss work should be undertaken without any further delay. While we are being assured of corrective works, nothing is happening on the ground,” said Abhilash P. Parameswaran, president of P&T Apartment Owners’ Association.

Commuters climb the steps of the Rainbow Bridge at Marine Drive in Kochi, umbrellas in hand, amid rain on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit:
R.K. Nithin

Rain slowed down desilting works to deepen Thevara-Perandoor (TP) Canal. “Pontoon mounted excavators engaged for desilting become unstable during heavy rain. There is also the risk of embankments collapsing,” said sources in the Minor Irrigation department. The desilting and deepening of TP Canal worth nearly ₹10 crore was divided into four different works and the second reach remains to be completed.

Tile-laying along bus bays at the Vytilla Mobility Hub was hit by the rain. “I had warned against undertaking the work during the monsoon and had suggested filling potholes for the time being. Unless the work is completed in another week, I will launch a protest,” said Sunitha Dixon, Vytilla division councillor.