Kasaragod: A local holiday has been declared, and power supply snapped in parts of Kanhangad municipality after an LPG tanker truck overturned near the Kovval Store on Thursday afternoon. 

District Collector Inbasekar K declared a holiday in the region from Kanhangad South to Aingoth. Power supply in the area will also be affected.

The truck, fully loaded with liquefied petroleum gas and en route to Coimbatore from Mangaluru, veered off a narrow service road and tipped into a swampy ditch while trying to make way for a bus.

With highway expansion works in progress, the road had been narrowed considerably, and the driver, in an attempt to avoid a collision, lost control. He escaped with minor injuries.

Emergency response teams, including Hosdurg police and fire and rescue personnel from Kanhangad, were quick to reach the spot. People living in nearby houses were evacuated as a precaution, and traffic through Kanhangad town was thrown into disarray.

Experts who inspected the scene confirmed there was no gas leakage. However, with the truck still containing the full load of LPG, a specialist team from Kannur's Valapattanam has been tasked with recovering the vehicle safely. The operation is expected to take place on Friday, prompting the district administration to announce a full-day holiday for Municipal Wards 18 (Nilankara), 19 (Kanhangad South Higher Secondary School), and 26 (Aingoth).

All schools, anganwadis, shops, and offices within a one-kilometre radius of the accident site will remain shut, said District Collector Inbasekar K in a statement.

Traffic will be halted on the highway stretch between Kanhangad South and Padanakkad to facilitate recovery efforts, and vehicles will be diverted accordingly. 

As a precaution, residents have been instructed not to use LPG cylinders or electric appliances, avoid smoking, and refrain from starting vehicles during the operation. Public access to the area has been restricted, and photography or videography near the site is prohibited. 

The District Collector, who issued the safety advisory, said: "Electricity supply will remain suspended until the tanker is safely removed. Residents are also advised not to use inverters for power during this time.”