Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Rain lashes State, claims two lives

worrying sight: Torrential rain threw life out of gear in Kochi and its suburbs on Friday. A scene from M.G. Road.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Heavy rains lashing the State since Thursday night claimed two lives and caused flooding and misery in several parts of Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Kollam districts.

A 65-year-old person named Haneefa Kunju and a 28-year-old welding technician named Madhu were killed in Kollam district in rain-related accidents. Haneefa Kunju slipped and fell from the roof of his house while trying to clear the block in a water outlet and Madhu was electrocuted as flood waters entered the workshop where he was working.

Over 1,000 families had to be shifted to nearly 40 relief camps in Cherthala taluk of Alappuzha district from flooded areas. Flooding caused traffic snarls in Kochi. Roads leading to the south and north railway station in Kochi city were deep under flood waters. Many shops remained shut in the city. Schools and colleges in Cherthala taluk and West Kochi were given a holiday on Friday by the Alappuzha and Ernakulam District Collectors respectively.

Upper Kuttanad region and also the paddy growing areas in the western areas of Kottayam district were in serious danger of crop loss as the water level in adjoining rivers and lakes shot up. The paddy crop in these areas is ripe for harvesting and in several large polders harvest operations has already begun.

A few minor landslides were reported from Pathanamthitta district, damaging three buildings.

Several areas in Kollam district went without electricity supply as the authorities were forced to switch off feeder lines following flooding around electrical installations such as transformers.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Spirit smuggler's arrest throws light on key agents
Spirit smuggling kingpin arrested
Rain lashes State, claims two lives
A bard of revolution, hope
Rain likely for two more days
State Election Commission freezes symbol

Copyright © 2010, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu