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A section of a Kerala Water Authority (KWA) feeder tank in Thammanam area of Kochi collapsed in the early hours of Monday, flooding several homes and washing away vehicles, officials said. The breach occurred between 2 am and 2.30 am when one side of the massive tank at the KWA feeder pump house collapsed. The structure consists of two chambers with a combined capacity of about 1.38 crore litres. When the wall of one chamber burst, the released water tore through the compound wall and entered nearly 10 nearby houses. According to news agency PTI, Ernakulam MLA T J Vinod inspected the site and said multiple vehicles parked along the road were swept away by the sudden flow. “Electronic gadgets and furniture in the ground floor of the houses were damaged. The water also entered a nearby health centre, destroying medicines and equipment,” he said. Vinod noted that the feeder tank, which is over five decades old, plays a key role in supplying water to Kochi city and Tripunithura. “The damaged chamber stored water meant for Kochi city,” he added. Residents recounted waking up in shock as water gushed into their homes without warning. A local resident said compound walls of at least three houses were also destroyed in the flooding. Thrikakkara MLA Uma Thomas, who visited the affected area, urged the KWA to compensate the families that suffered losses. KWA officials assured that measures are being taken to maintain an uninterrupted water supply to Kochi and nearby regions despite the incident. An assessment of the damage and structural integrity of the remaining chamber is also underway.
