Rain havoc in kerala: five killed, trees uprooted; red alert in eight districts - the statesman

Torrential monsoon rains wreaked havoc across Kerala on Friday, triggering landslides, flooding, widespread power outages, and disruption of daily life. Five people were killed in

rain-related incidents in Friday’s rain. Extensive damages were also caused to houses in heavy winds and high tides. Advertisement Two youths drowned during fishing in the Kottayam district.

A fisherman was killed after his fishing boat capsized in high tides in the sea off Thiruvananthapuram. An 85-year-old woman died in Kochi after a tree fell on her. A youth, who went

fishing at Punnapra in Alappuzha, fell into a waterlogged area and died. Advertisement In Vizhinjam, two members of a group of fishermen who went to sea have gone missing after their boat

capsized. Three of them swam back to shore. It is also reported that 27 other fishermen who set out to sea in seven boats have not returned to the shore. The National Disaster Response Force

(NDRF) has been deployed in different districts of the state that have been issued a red warning. People in hilly areas have been warned of possible landslides, and the state government has

restricted fishermen from going into the sea until June 1. The heavy rains and accompanying winds uprooted trees and downed power lines. The Fire and Rescue Services Department and the

Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) scrambled to clear fallen trees and restore power to an estimated 60 lakh households across the state. Nevertheless, large swathes of the state,

including much of Thiruvananthapuram district, remained without power. Water levels in several major rivers are steadily rising, prompting alerts from the Kerala State Disaster Management

Authority (KSDMA) for communities residing along riverbanks. Rivers such as the Manimala and Achankovil in Pathanamthitta, the Meenachil in Kottayam, the Korapuzha in Kozhikode, and the

Kabani in Wayanad are flowing at dangerous levels The state has begun to witness widespread displacement due to flooding and landslides, with 1,329 individuals from 395 families relocated to

51 relief camps in various districts.In Wayanad, 739 people are staying in 18 relief camps, with Mananthavady taluk reported as the most severely affected area, where 14 houses were

destroyed. Heavy winds in Ernakulam uprooted numerous trees, damaging 182 houses. In Alappuzha, low-lying areas of Kuttanad were submerged, 21 houses were damaged, and 115 people were

relocated to five camps. Amidst continuing rainfall in Kerala, a landslide occurred on Kannur’s Kottiyoor Palchuram road. Consequently, a warning has been issued for travelers using this

route. Flash floods occurred between Chattanchal and Cherkala in Kasaragod, where construction is underway on the national highway. Landslides occurred in several places, leading to traffic

blockages. Traffic has been diverted through the Kanhangad Chandragiri bridge. As heavy rainfalls continue in Kerala, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red warning in

eight districts— Kannur, Kasargod, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Idukki for Friday. All the other districts in the state, including the capital

Thiruvananthapuram, have been issued an orange warning. Advertisement