Normal life affected as monsoon rains cause havoc in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, May 30 (IANS) With the South West Monsoon rains coming down heavily all across Kerala, numerous places in the state were affected on Friday. The Indian Meteorological Department has announced a red alert in the three districts of Idukki, Kannur and Kasargod.

An orange alert has been announced in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad.

Meanwhile, low lying areas in Kottayam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta have seen flooding and many people from these areas have been moved to relief camps.

Speaking to IANS, State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian said numerous people from his hometown in Chengannur are calling him and apprising him of the situation regarding rising waters.

“Am told by people in the know of things that if the rain waters do not come down, what was witnessed in 2018 might happen. The district authorities and the revenue department are on a high alert and are watching the situation. They have been asked to act if they feel the situation might turn worse,” said Cherian.

In 11 of the 14 districts in the state, all educational institutions have been given a holiday.

Since late on Thursday evening after the rains got heavy, numerous trees were uprooted and the worst affected were the railway tracks as the rising water threw train services out of gear.

All the trains in the state are presently running late, while a few local trains were cancelled on Friday.

Road traffic has also been thrown out of gear at numerous places following landslips and uprooting of trees.

Likewise following the gusty winds across the state, electricity at many places was disrupted and numerous places in the state capital city saw power outages on Thursday. However, on Friday morning the power supply was restored in many places.

Across the state power was disrupted in over five million homes on Thursday.

According to rough estimates prepared by the Kerala State Electricity Board due to the heavy rains and uprooting of trees they have suffered a loss of Rs 120 crore.

An 85-year-old lady who was returning home to Thirumaradi in Ernakulam district died after a tree fell on her during the storm.

--IANS

sg/rad