Kanhangad: A family of three escaped with their lives after their tiled-roofed house collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday following incessant monsoon rain.

The house, at Pairadukkam in Balla East (Division 9) of Kanhangad municipality, belonged to C Pradeep Kumar, son of the late P Kunjambu Pothuval, a former Socialist leader. Pradeep was in Kozhikode on work when the incident occurred.

Around 4 am, loud cracking sounds woke his mother, Leelavathi, wife M Srividya and son Pranav. The three rushed out of the house just moments before the structure came crashing down, averting what could have been a fatal tragedy.

Neighbours, alerted by the sound of the collapse and the family's cries for help, rushed to the spot.

Municipal chairman V V Ramesan visited the site soon after the incident. Later in the day, Balla Village Officer G Biju and Assistant Village Officer T P Biju inspected the house and assessed the damage.

Pradeep Kumar said the family had suffered losses running into several lakh rupees. As the house has been rendered uninhabitable, the family has shifted to a relative's home.

Kanhangad and the surrounding areas witnessed torrential rain accompanied by strong winds on Monday night and into Tuesday morning. Though the IMD declared a yellow alert for Kasaragod, the district collector declared a holiday for educational institutions on Wednesday.