Many districts of present-day Kerala were deeply submerged by the flood - from Thrissur, to Ernakulam to Idukki, Kottayam even up to Alappuzha and Kuttanad.
Kerala received 3,368 mm of rain during the monsoon season (June to September), 64 percent higher than normal and is the highest recorded rainfall.
[1] The flood was probably caused by offshore vortices along the west coast and perturbations higher up in the troposphere and is not attributed to any depression or cyclonic disturbance in the Arabian sea or the bay of Bengal.
The rainfall all over the country and especially in the Peermade District was unprecedented and the river was already in flood due to these rains and the partial opening of the sluice valves.
Then it is said that the authorities found the water level in the lake had risen much over the maximum limit and they opened the sluices to the full height thereby flushing the river.
The old Aluva-Munnar route through Kothamangalam-Kuttampuzha-Mankulam was made unusable due to landslides (although the road was reconstructed till Pooyamkutty), and was completely abandoned, making the tribal village of Edamalakkudy very remote by allowing thick forests to grow in the area.
"By early August, thousands of refugees and displaced families were being fed at different relief centres: 4000 at Ambalapuzha, 3000 at Alleppey, 5000 in Kottayam, 3000 in Changanassery, 8000 in Parur and so on," writes Devan T. Raghavaiah, a civil servant deputed by the Madras presidency.
The general manager of Kannan Devan Tea Estate, Mr. Wallace invited the queen to declare the road open" Kunjithomman, Elenjical, Kothamangalam made a long speech in this occasion.
[15] in the Malayalam movie Oru CBI Diary Kurippu, the maid named Mary mentions she was born during the great flood of 1899.