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Four killed as heavy rains pound Kerala
In Kollam, 65-year-old Govindarajan died after he fell into a flooded stream, while a local journalist — 52-year-old K Radhakrishan — died in Pandalam after a tree fell on his bike, Kerala police said.
Heavy rainfall due to a low pressure system in the Arabian Sea lashed many parts of Kerala on Tuesday, claiming four lives, two of them children.
The India Metrological Department has issued high alerts as many rivers and dams were filled to the brim. State authorities have shifted people living along river banks and low-lying areas to relief camps.
At Karippur in Malappuram district, two children — eight-month-old Rizawna and seven-year-old Rinsana — died after a wall of their house collapsed due to heavy rain and winds when they were asleep, police said. Though they were taken out immediately by local people, they could not be saved. Their mother escaped with minor injuries.
In Kollam, 65-year-old Govindarajan died after he fell into a flooded stream, while a local journalist — 52-year-old K Radhakrishan — died in Pandalam after a tree fell on his bike, police said.
The Met department has issued orange alert in six districts and yellow alert in four districts till Thursday. State authorities have advised fishermen not to venture out to sea, while travellers have been asked to avoid travelling at night in hilly areas.
In Idukki, the district administration has banned night travel till Thursday. The district had witnessed several landslides in the past two years, including one in August last year when 70 people were killed after a major landslide decimated a colony of plantation workers in Pettimudi.
Incidents of waterlogging were reported in many areas in Kollam, Kochi and Kozhikode districts while vehicular traffic was disrupted in many parts of Alapzuha district. Services were suspended on the Kollam-Chengotta rail line after a landslip.
The state government was closely monitoring the situation and district collectors have been asked to open relief camps in affected areas, revenue minister K Rajan said.
The Met department said multiple weather conditions in the Andaman Bay and Arabian Sea triggered heavy rain, which is expected to continue till Friday. Another low-pressure is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal by Wednesday under its influence.
“In some areas, rainfall will be as high as 20 cm. We are separately monitoring the situation in dam-catchment areas. Rainy situation will prevail till Friday,” said K Santhosh, regional Met director in Thiruvananthapuram.
