# The August 2018 Floods around Kalamassery, Eloor and Aluva

> In mid-August 2018 the Periyar rose higher than anyone living had seen, after days of extreme rain and the opening of the Idukki and Idamalayar dams. Aluva was among the worst-hit places in Kerala; low-lying parts of Eloor and the riverside around Kalamassery flooded too, while the airport and the metro shut. This is a historical account of those weeks as of October 2026, drawn from official studies and news reports. For practical advice, see our separate preparedness guide.

- URL: https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/floods-2018-eloor-aluva-kalamassery/
- Publisher: Ashraf Gents Hostel, Ashraf house, NAD Rd, signal, Kalamassery, Aluva, Kerala 683563, India (+91 90746 23855)
- Published: 2026-10-08 · Updated: 2026-10-08
- Topic: History & archive
- Cite as: Ashraf Gents Hostel. “The August 2018 Floods around Kalamassery, Eloor and Aluva.” Published 8 October 2026. https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/floods-2018-eloor-aluva-kalamassery/

## Key facts

- Kerala's August 2018 floods were the worst in the state since 1924; over 483 people died and about one million were evacuated, with Aluva and North Paravur among the areas named (Wikipedia).
- 35 of Kerala's 54 dams were opened, and all five gates of the Idukki dam were opened at the same time for the first time (Wikipedia).
- The Periyar's peak flow at Neeleeswaram, upstream of Aluva, was 8,800 cubic metres a second at 3 pm on 16 August 2018, according to a Central Water Commission study cited by Wikipedia.
- By 11 August 2018, 10,510 people were already sheltering in 78 relief camps in the Paravur, Aluva, Kanayannur and Kunnathunad taluks of Ernakulam (PTI via The Week).
- Cochin International Airport suspended operations until 29 August 2018 after its runway flooded (Wikipedia dates the suspension from 12 August), and the Kochi Metro briefly closed on 16 August.

## Rain, dams and the Periyar

The 2018 south-west monsoon brought Kerala 23% more rain than normal, and August alone 164% above normal, according to Wikipedia. By 8–9 August reservoirs were close to full, and shutters were opened. On **Thursday, 9 August** the Manappuram Sree Mahadeva Temple on the Periyar at Aluva went under water after four shutters of the Idamalayar dam and one of the Idukki dam were opened; on 11 August, the Karkidaka Vavu day, devotees offered the Bali rites on the roads instead of at the riverbank, The News Minute reported.

The worst came on **15–17 August**. The Central Water Commission measured about 588 mm of rain over the Periyar basin in those three days. At Neeleeswaram, upstream of Aluva, the river's flow peaked at **8,800 cubic metres a second at 3 pm on 16 August**. Idukki released up to 1,500 m³/s that day against an inflow of 2,532 m³/s, and Idamalayar 963 m³/s, rising to 1,272 m³/s on 17 August. All five Idukki gates were open together for the first time.

## Timeline

| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 8 August 2018 | Very heavy rain across Kerala; dams fill towards capacity | Wikipedia |
| 12 August 2018 | Cochin airport suspends operations after runway flooding, until 29 August (date as given by Wikipedia) | Wikipedia |
| 9 August 2018 | Aluva Manappuram temple submerged after Idamalayar and Idukki shutters open | Onmanorama; The News Minute |
| 11 August 2018 | 10,510 people in 78 relief camps in four Ernakulam taluks | PTI via The Week |
| 16 August 2018 | Periyar peaks at Neeleeswaram; Kochi Metro briefly closed; Ernakulam–Shoranur trains suspended | Wikipedia (CWC study) |
| 17 August 2018 | Aluva described as isolated and worst hit; road, rail and metro links to Ernakulam disrupted | Deccan Chronicle |
| 18 August 2018 | Prime Minister announces ₹500 crore interim relief | Wikipedia |

## Aluva, Eloor and Kalamassery

Onmanorama described the Aluva region as one of the worst-hit areas in Kerala after the Periyar rose with the dam releases. Deccan Chronicle's headlines on 17 August spoke of Aluva being isolated, with metro, train and bus services between Ernakulam and Aluva disrupted. Relief camps filled quickly: a PTI report on 11 August already counted 10,510 people in 78 camps in the Paravur, Aluva, Kanayannur and Kunnathunad taluks, before the peak. Onmanorama reported on 18 August on camps in flood-hit Aluva where residents cooked their own meals, and Scroll described a camp at a medical college in Kunnukara, near Aluva, with about 500 people and a shortage of clean water.

**Eloor** is an island between two arms of the Periyar, described by [South First](https://thesouthfirst.com/kerala/kuttikattukara-relief-camp-for-angelo-and-pushpamma-this-is-home-for-a-few-days-every-monsoon/) in 2022 as a low-lying town next to the river, and the riverside around Manjummel and [Pathalam](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/manjummel-and-pathalam-guide/) lies between it and Kalamassery. We looked for dated, sourced reports from 2018 giving camp numbers or flood depths specifically for Eloor and Kalamassery, and did not find them; later reporting on Eloor's monsoon camps refers to other years. So we do not give figures for those places. What is documented is that the whole lower Periyar, from Aluva downstream to North Paravur and Chendamangalam, was among the areas from which people were evacuated.

## Airport, metro and trains

Cochin International Airport, north of Aluva, suspended all operations after its runway flooded and stayed shut until **29 August**; Wikipedia gives the start of the suspension as 12 August. The Kochi Metro closed briefly on **16 August** and later ran free services to help those affected. Southern Railway suspended services on the Ernakulam–Shoranur and Thiruvananthapuram–Kottayam–Ernakulam sections. For a few days, Kalamassery's usual routes north to Aluva and the airport were disrupted. The road story is in [NH 544 through Kalamassery](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/nh-544-widening-kalamassery-history/).

## Relief and what the studies found

Across Kerala, more than 3,274 relief camps were opened, and the National Disaster Management Authority estimated that 12,47,496 people sheltered in them. Defence forces, NDRF teams, central police units and volunteers took part in rescues. The government cancelled Onam celebrations that year and moved the funds to relief. On **18 August** Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ₹500 crore in interim assistance.

Whether the dams made things worse was argued afterwards. A Central Water Commission study concluded that the Idukki and Idamalayar releases were controlled and that, with reservoirs already near full on 14 August, the dams neither added to nor reduced the flood significantly. A report by advocate Jacob P. Alex, an adviser appointed by the Kerala High Court, alleged poor dam management and alerts not issued according to guidelines; Wikipedia notes that as of August 2024 the High Court had not accepted that report. Both views are recorded here; neither is our finding.

## Why this history matters near the NAD signal

The NAD Road signal is inland of the Periyar's flood plain, but friends, workplaces and the roads to Aluva and Eloor are not. Knowing what happened in 2018 is why residents follow official alerts each monsoon; our [flood preparedness guide](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/flood-preparedness-periyar/) covers the practical steps. Ashraf Gents Hostel, a men's hostel/PG at Ashraf house on NAD Road, Kalamassery, is on +91 90746 23855. See also [Eloor's history](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/eloor-island-history/), [Aluva's history](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/aluva-history/) and the [Kalamassery history archive](https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/kalamassery-history-archive/).

## Frequently asked questions

**When were the 2018 floods at their worst around Aluva?**

From 15 to 17 August 2018. The Periyar peaked at Neeleeswaram at 3 pm on 16 August, according to the Central Water Commission.

**Was Aluva Manappuram flooded in 2018?**

Yes. The Manappuram temple was submerged from 9 August after Idamalayar and Idukki shutters were opened.

**How long was Cochin airport closed?**

It remained closed until 29 August 2018. Wikipedia gives 12 August as the start of the suspension.

**Did the dams cause the flood?**

This was disputed. A Central Water Commission study found the releases were controlled and did not significantly change the flood, while a High Court-appointed adviser's report alleged poor dam management.

**Were there relief camps in Eloor and Kalamassery in 2018?**

We could not find reliable dated figures for camps in those two places. Reports do record dozens of camps in the Aluva, Paravur, Kanayannur and Kunnathunad taluks.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: 2018 Kerala floods](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Kerala_floods)
- [The Week (PTI): Over 10,000 people along Periyar river moved to relief camps (11 August 2018)](https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2018/08/11/srg7-kl-rains-camps(mes1).html)
- [The News Minute: As temple remains submerged in Aluva, devotees offer Bali on roads](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/kerala/kerala-rains-temple-remains-submerged-aluva-devotees-offer-bali-roads-86394)
- [Onmanorama: Vavu Bali at Aluva as Periyar floods (11 August 2018)](https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2018/08/11/vavu-bali-aluva-varkala-periyar.html)
- [Onmanorama: Relief camps set example, cook food in flood-hit Aluva (18 August 2018)](https://onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2018/08/18/relief-camps-set-example-cook-food-flood-hit-aluva.html)
- [Scroll.in: Inside a relief camp near Aluva](https://scroll.in/article/891193/scroll_in)

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