Kerala - Alappuzha

Rain continues to wreak havoc

Staff Reporter

Man washed away in Alappuzha; six houses damaged in Thrissur

LONG WAIT: Mechanised boats moored at the Tangassery Breakwater Project in Kollam following inclement weather on Monday.

ALAPPUZHA: Heavy rain continued to wreak havoc in the district on Monday causing extensive damage to crops and property. In a related incident, one person was killed when he fell into a canal at Punnapra North panchayat in the district. The deceased has been identified as Manian (55), Vilayil house, Punnapra North panchayat.

More than 1000 people whose houses were damaged have been rehabilitated in the three relief camps working in the district. As many as seventy six houses were damaged in

Monsoon-related calamities in the district on Monday. According to an official release, four houses were completely destroyed and 72 houses partially damaged in the heavy rains on Monday.

The district authorities informed that three relief camps were working in the district for those whose houses were damaged in rain and sea erosion. The camps are functioning at Ambalappuzha K.K. Kunchu Pillai memorial School, Thottappally Anandeswaram Lower Primary School, and Naluchira Upper Primary School, Thottappally.

Five tsunami relief camps that are still functioning in Arattupuzha panchayat in the district are also being used to rehabilitate those who lost their homes in the current monsoon. Around 1200 persons have been rehabilitated in all the camps, district authorities said. Haripad MLA B. Babuprasad said Perumbally and Tharayilkkadavu areas in Arattupuzha panchayat were facing the threat of sea erosion and all those affected should be rehabilitated. Meanwhile, Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran, who visited the calamity hit Areas along with minister for cooperation G. Sudhakaran has announced an immediate aid of Rs. 50 lakh for the district.

Houses damaged

Our Thrissur Staff Reporter writes: Six houses were damaged in the heavy rain that lashed the district on Monday, according to the district administration. As many as 30 houses were partially damaged.

Two houses in Guruvayur village and a house each in Mundathikkode, Kanniyarkode, Vempallur and Elavally villages were razed to the ground.

Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran on Monday visited the six panchayats that have been affected by the rain.

Life affected

Our Kollam Staff Reporter writes:

Life in many parts of the city and the district was affected as rain accompanied by strong winds inflicted widespread damages on Monday morning.

The coastal areas were the worst affected. The body of a man reported missing since Saturday from Kottarakara was found on Monday. He went missing while trying to cross a stream in spate.

According to a report from the District Information Office, 88 houses in the district were partially damaged in the rain and wind. Most of the damages were caused when trees got uprooted. Some of the uprooted trees, which fell over electric line snapped power supply in several areas. The extent of damage is yet to be assessed.

Traffic through the National Highway at Chinnakada was affected for several hours when a huge tree got uprooted and fell across the highway in front of the Kollam railway station. Fallen trees were cleared by afternoon. But power supply could be restored in most areas only by late evening. Uprooted tress also inflicted damages on several houses. In some areas, tiles and tin roofs of houses and institutions were blown off by the strong wind.

Those who went fishing in mechanised boats from the Shakthikulangara Harbour on Monday morning had to return in haste, when the sea turned rough. In the haste to return, many of the boats could not retrieve their nets dropped into the sea. Fishing nets worth several lakhs of rupees were lost in this manner. The rough sea also prevented the entry of these boats back into the harbour through the estuary at Shakthikulangara. The boats had to then sail south and enter the Tangassery breakwater project area for safety. Fishermen said that they sailed into the sea since the weather appeared fine in the morning. The sea turned rough all of a sudden.

Because of the weather, catch was also poor. Whatever was caught had to be auctioned off at the Tangassery traditional fishing harbour. Following reports that a boat was sinking off the Shakthikulangara Harbour on Monday morning, personnel from the Marine Enforcement control rushed and scanned the sea. But the information proved to be a hoax.

At Kulathupuzha in the eastern sector of the district, rain inflicted damages to crops and property. An electric post, which got uprooted in the town, fell over a house and badly injured a man inside. He had been admitted to the Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

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