The Hindu : Front Page : Heavy rain lashes State, triggers landslips

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Monday, Sep 05, 2005

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Heavy rain lashes State, triggers landslips

Kerala Bureau

EXTENDING HELP: Revenue officials taking a list of families shifted to the FIDES Centre at Poonthura in Thiruvananthapuram following sea erosion on Sunday. Photo: S. Mahinsha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: : The heavy rain lashing several parts of the State triggered landslips in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki districts and sea erosion at Poonthura in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.

The eastern hilly tracts of Pathanamthitta is receiving heavy rain for the past three days leading to an alarming rise in the water level in the rivers, besides minor landslips in many part of the district.

The Pampa, Achenkoil and Manimala rivers are swollen and breached banks along many stretches on Sunday. The Pampa breached banks in Ranni town, flooding Pettah market this afternoon. The Pampa Manalpuram on the foothills of Sabarimala too was inundated, leaving shops and buildings flooded on Saturday night.

About 50 cents was washed away in flash floods at Kumbithode near Vechoochira in Ranni taluk on Sunday.

There were also reports of damage to the Erumely-Vechoochira road, leading to disruption of vehicular traffic.

There were also reports of minor landslips, damage to houses and property in the Pamba Valley, located on the border of Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts.

According to sources at the Moozhiyar powerhouse of the Sabarigiri hydroelectric project, the reservoirs at Kakki, Anathode and Kochu-Pampa are receiving heavy inflow from the catchment areas in the past four days.

At least five houses were fully damaged and about 50 others flooded as high waves surged on to the Poonthura beach in Thiruvananthapuram this afternoon.

A sixty-year-old woman Olinthamma was injured after being caught in a high wave that came crashing over the seawall on the beach. By late evening about 20 families had been shifted to the Fishermen Development Programmes and Study Centre (FIDES). District Collector N. Ayyappan said about 250 homes along the Poonthura beach are facing the threat of the rough sea. After a prolonged lull, heavy rain lashed Kottayam and Idukki districts. According to reports, landslips have been reported from Mangalagiri near Teekoy in Kottayam and Memuttu near Moolamattom in Idukki district. Large areas of agriculture land have been washed away in both the cases.

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