Heavy rains batter Kerala: Trees uprooted, rivers swell, schools shut in several districts
Heavy rains batter Kerala: Trees uprooted, rivers swell, schools shut in several districts
Thiruvananthapuram, Heavy rains continued to pound various parts of Kerala on Sunday, leading to widespread disruptions including uprooted trees, rising river levels, and the opening of shutters at multiple dams. Mudslides in highranges, inundation of low-lying areas and intense sea erosion in the coastal belts were reported across the state. In light of heavy rains, authorities declared a holiday for educational institutions in Malappuram, Kannur, Kasaragod, Wayanad and Thrissur districts for Monday.
Though no major casualties were reported anywhere, sporadic incidents of damage to houses and vehicles were recorded in various places across the state. In Malappuram's Kottakkal, a house located on a hilly terrain was damaged in a mudslide on Saturday evening. However, the family inside escaped unharmed.
Huge trees were uprooted, temporarily disrupting traffic in Sultan Bathery in Wayanad and at Chungam in southern Kottayam district.
Fireforce personnel responded quickly, cutting and clearing fallen trees on the roads. IN Attapadi, a massive boulder rolled down onto a high-range road, blocking traffic for some time, locals said.
Vehicles were damaged after an uprooted tree fell upon them in Nileswaram, Kasaragod.
With heavy rains continuing in Thiruvananthapuram, authorities issued a warning about increased water discharge into the rivers from Neyyar and Peppara Dams here.
Besides Neyyar and Peppara dams in Thiruvananthapuram, the shutters of Shiruvani Dam in Palakkad were also raised due to the increased water flow following heavy rains, authorities said. Meanwhile, the district administration in Pathanamthitta imposed a temporary ban on Sabarimala pilgrims from entering into Pamba Triveni and taking a dip due to rising water level in River Pamba. The Travancore Devaswom Board , the apex temple body which manages the shrine, urged pilgrims to exercise caution as Pamba-Sannidhanam trekking path was experiencing intense rainfall. As per the latest update of the Indian Meteorological Department, a red alert was declared in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod, predicting extremely heavy rainfall there. An orange alert was issued in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Eranakulam, Thrissur and Palakkad. A 'red alert' indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an 'orange alert' means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
