The Hindu : Kerala News : 4 killed in rain and wind

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Sunday, Jun 24, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala

4 killed in rain and wind

Staff Reporter

Fury of nature continues unabated in the district

Rain havoc: Workers removing the branch of a tree that crashed onto the road in strong winds near the LIC office at Mananchira in the city on Saturday.

Kozhikode: At least four persons, including an infant, were killed and scores of people injured in the torrential rain and strong winds that battered the district on Saturday.

One person waiting at the NGO quarters bus-stop near the Chevayur police station here in the morning was killed when a tree fell on him. Four others, Moideen Koya, Ayeshakutty, Shani and Joy, who were also at the bus-stop, were injured. They have been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Police are yet to identify the deceased.

In another incident, N. Leninkumar, 32, fell into an overflowing drain at Kannadikkal while cycling. P. Prakashan, 48, who was sleeping in his house at Kakkodi, was killed when a palm tree fell on the house in the afternoon. Eight-month old Mohammed Rafeek was killed when a tree fell on him at Balussery.

More than 200 houses have been partially damaged in the heavy rains accompanied by gales, that hit various parts of the district. Over a dozen houses have been destroyed in the city and its suburbs. The district administration has put the total loss in the district at Rs 6.15 lakh.

Hundreds of families have been evacuated from landslip-prone areas to safer places. Eighteen families have been shifted from Kayakkodi village; 36 families from Maruthongkara and 19 from Kavillumpara. Incidents of destruction of houses were also reported at Vadakkara, Koyilandy, Elathur, Thooneri, Thazhakkodu, Pulakkodu, Kumaranallur and Thiruvallur.

The roofs of nearly 75 shops were destroyed in the rain and strong winds at Valliyangadi. Provisions worth Rs three crore were destroyed, according to a functionary of the Calicut Food Grains Association.

The parapet of a building of the Housing Colony at Chakkorathukulam came down destroying a parked vehicle. No casualties have been reported. Three houses were partially damaged at the Bangladesh Colony in West Hill. Incessant rains have wrecked havoc in the city. Vehicular traffic was disrupted for long hours on most of the roads. The civic authorities were slow to respond and remove the debris on the roads. The monsoon also swamped hundreds of acres of agricultural crops in the interiors of the district.

Electric lines snapped at many places in the city. Power was disrupted in some of the housing colonies for more than two days at a stretch. The control room of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) was not responding to calls from many residents warning of snapped electric lines, according to T.J.Varkey, president of Chinthavalappu Flats Association.

Areas of Thadampattuthazham, Karaparamba and Karikkamkulam and Kottooli were without power for more than three days. “Officials are not bothering to restore the power supply,” said Abdul Gafoor.

Meanwhile the Kerala Water Authority officials have said that the disruption in power has affected distribution of water supply in Kozhikode Taluk.

Dstribution of water could be resumed in Kozhikode city and other places only after the KSEB restores power supply, the Executive Engineer said.

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