Thiruvananthapuram: Four people have died as incessant rain caused widespread damage in the northern districts of Kerala.
The deaths were reported in Kasaragod, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. The deceased were identified as Kasaragod native Shaun Arone (13), Kozhikode native Mohammed Mirshad (12), Wayanad native Babu (37) and Abhilash (40) of Edacheri in Kozhikode.
The 13-year-old Arone died after a coconut tree fell on him when he stepped out around 2 pm on Saturday. Mohammed Mirhsad died after he fell into a pond while returning home from madrassa on his cycle. Coconut-tree climber Abhilash drowned in the temple pond at Alissery. Labourer Babu died as an under-construction wall collapsed around Saturday noon. Two others with him were saved.
Yellow alert in 5 districts today
A yellow alert has been issued for Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts on Sunday.
The rain will continue for four more days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The state received 52.18cm of rain during the first two weeks of July.
As per an IMD forecast, the depression over the northeast Arabian Sea is likely to move north-northwestwards in the next 24 hours, and move towards the Oman coast.
Widespread damage
At least 18 houses were partially damaged as heavy rain lashed Kannur district on Saturday. An alert has been sounded in the Kozhikode district with the water level in the rivers rising. At least 42 houses were partially damaged. After the wall of the Mavoor Grasim factory collapsed, the rainwater and the mud inundated the nearby convention centre. The food prepared for a wedding and the utensils were washed away. A wall collapsed at a private property near the national highway at Mongamam near Kondotty in Malappuram. The Air India Express flight from Jeddah to Kozhikode was diverted to Kochi due to rain.
The water level in the Bharathapuzha rose from 2.9 metres to 3.5m in two days. The Collector has asked those living along the river banks to exercise caution as the Malampuzha dam's shutters have been opened. The four shutters of the Malampuzha dam were opened by 30cm each on Saturday.
Meanwhile, shops were inundated at several places in Palakkad town. Several houses were also damaged and hectares of crops were destroyed. In Attappady, the disaster management authority has regulated the movement of heavy vehicles through the ghat road following a landslide alert.
