Army, Navy join relief operations

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 10. The toll in monsoon-related havoc across the State rose further with nine more deaths reported on Tuesday. The dead included two women and two girls.

An official release said that as many as 77 persons had died during the current season. Deaths were reported on Tuesday from Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Idukki, Thrissur, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Kannur districts.

The deaths reported today are of Tajudeen (17) of Panavur in Thiruvananthapuram, Munasil Sunil Kumar (21) of Punnackamparambil in Ernakulam, B. Syamala (18) of Eranad in Kozhikode, Sebastian (43) of Aryad South in Alappuzha, Lekha Anakkarayil (13) of Idukki district, Meenakshi (82) of Kodungallur in Thrissur, George (36) of Athirampuzha in Kottayam, Mathew Varghese of Nellad in Pathanamthitta and Nitheesh Surendran (7) of Koothuparamba in Kannur.

The rain and floods have affected 2,414 families in 191 villages in the State. The Government has opened 166 relief camps in various places and 173 families have moved into them.

The State Cabinet will be discussing the flood situation on Wednesday. The Government is likely to seek assistance from the Centre in view of the heavy losses caused by the heavy rain and floods.

The crisis management committee, which met here with the Chief Secretary, Mr. V. Krishnamoorthy, in the chair, decided to intensify relief efforts in view of reports that heavy rain would continue in the coming days.

A team of 21 Army men has been dispatched to Udumbannoor in Idukki where a landslip killed three persons on Sunday night. A team of Navy was already conducting search there for the missing photographer of Malayala Manorama, Mr. Victor George.

The Chief Minister, Mr. A.K. Antony, told a delegation of journalists that all possible steps would be taken to locate him. His camera has been recovered from the spot this morning.

Meanwhile, rivers in the Central Travancore region continued to be in spate though the water level has come down in the upper areas of Pathanamthitta district. At the same time, water level is rising in Kuttanad and several dykes protecting paddy fields there had been breached.

Water level continued to rise in various reservoirs in south Kerala. The level in Idukki reservoir went up by 19.11 feet to reach 2351.20 feet over the last week. The Idamalayar reservoir recorded an increase of 24.12 feet. The water level in the Kallada reservoir went up by 13.12 feet during the week, according to the Central Water Commission. The Government has warned that water from the Maniyar and Moozhiyar dams would be released at any time. The Revenue Department was looking into the complaint that water was released without notice from the reservoir. Officials of the rank of assistant executive engineers were being posted to all dam sites to monitor the dams until the heavy rains are over.

Mobile teams had been formed to intensify health services in the affected areas. Steps had been taken to ensure adequate supply of food and medicines. Patrol teams had been deputed on submerged roads and special control rooms were functioning in all districts, an official release said.

The Civil Supplies Minister, Mr. G. Karthikeyan, who is now in Delhi, would cut short his visit and reach Alappuzha on Wednesday to lead the relief operations, an official release said.

Navymen search for bodies of Monday's landslip victims at Venniani in Idukki district on Tuesday. Lt. Cdr. R.K. Sharma examining the camera of Mr. Victor George, chief photographer of Malayala Manorama, who has been missing from the mishap site. - Photo: H. Vibhu

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