Pathanamthitta (Keralam) [India], August 2 : Traders in Ranni town of Keralam's Pathanamthitta district are grappling with heavy financial losses after severe rainfall and flash floods caused the Pamba River to overflow, inundating shops, warehouses and commercial establishments within a matter of hours.
Business owners are assessing the extent of the damage while struggling to resume normal operations after floodwaters submerged several parts of the town.
The flooding followed extremely heavy rainfall in the hilly regions of Pathanamthitta district, which triggered flash floods and caused the Pamba River to breach its banks, leaving many areas of Ranni under waist-deep water.

Describing the sudden rise in water levels, a local pharmacy owner said the floodwaters entered the town so rapidly that traders had little time to protect their goods.
"Running this pharmacy medical store here. The flood has badly affected people in Ranni. The water level rose suddenly yesterday, and within one and a half hours, the river overflowed. Most traders were unable to open their shops, and many have suffered losses worth lakhs of rupees," the shop owner told ANI.

The trader also expressed disappointment over what he described as the absence of adequate compensation following previous flood disasters.
"They say they did not receive any compensation during previous floods and are deeply disappointed as the situation continues to repeat every year," he said.
Several shopkeepers in the town are now worried about rebuilding their businesses, saying repeated flooding has severely affected their livelihoods and caused recurring financial setbacks.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) MP V Sivadasan expressed concern over the worsening rain-related situation in Keralam, stating that the state was facing not only floods but also multiple landslides.
"The flood situation in Keralam is very painful... We are also facing huge landslides in different areas. I request the state government to take necessary action to protect the people of Keralam," Sivadasan said.
He also urged the Union government to provide financial assistance to the state, alleging that Keralam did not receive adequate support during previous disasters.
"The Union government's financial support is also necessary. The last time, the government of India did not give proper assistance to the state of Keralam," he added.
Heavy rainfall has caused damage in several parts of the state over the past two days. In Edavanna, a retaining wall of a house under construction collapsed at Chembakkuthu on Saturday following continuous rainfall, while electricity poles and power lines were also damaged.
The incident occurred around 6 am near Jamia College, where the concrete retaining wall of a house under construction owned by Mustafa collapsed onto the road, disrupting traffic after debris blocked the route. Power lines were snapped in the incident, affecting electricity supply in the area.

In a separate incident, in Vagamon, a landslide struck a residential house, leading to the death of a man identified as Prabhakaran Nair, a native of Vaikom. While the fatality has been confirmed, authorities stated that his body has not yet been recovered as rescue teams continue to navigate the difficult terrain.
Another landslide was reported at Adoormala. Local officials fear that one person is currently trapped under the mud and rubble at the site, and search operations are underway.
The deluge also caused significant disruption to essential infrastructure. A major landslide occurred near Machiplavu in Adimali on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway. The landslide led to a total suspension of traffic on the crucial route after a car and a Taurus lorry were caught in the sliding debris.
Meanwhile, the Keralam government said it is fully prepared to deal with any emergency situation and urged residents to strictly follow advisories issued by the state government and district administrations.
The government also assured that adequate financial assistance would be provided to the families of those who lost their lives, as well as to people who suffered damage to their homes, crops and livelihoods. It further stated that those injured in rain-related incidents would receive the best possible medical treatment and reiterated its commitment to extending all necessary support to the affected people during the ongoing crisis.