KOCHI: Heavy rains lashing the state have claimed six more lives on Sunday taking the total death toll to 16 in the past three days. Two each were drowned in Alappuzha and Wayanad districts while another got electrocuted in Idukki. Two children who were playing in rainwater in a farm fell into the overflowing pond at Kudukky, Cheeral, near Sulthan Bathery. The victims are Sana Fathima, 5, daughter of Thottathil Shihabudheen and Muhammed Shamil, 10, son of Thottathil Firoz.
At Pulpally, also in Wayanad, Shyla, 36, wife of Surendran, was electrocuted as the temporary shed in which the family was staying collapsed. Flash floods washed away the newly constructed approach road of Valad-Puthussery Bridge near Mananthavady. In Idukki, Komayil Biju of Parakudy, 47, was electrocuted. The district administration has declared a holiday on Monday for educational institutions barring professional colleges as traffic remained disrupted in many places by landslides and uprooted trees.
In Alappuzha, Thottungal Kayappuram Vinu died while taking a bath in the lake behind the NSS College, Cherthala. Another man, Chengannur Pandanad Suresh Kumar, died while engaged in fishing at Achankovil River. In Pathanamthitta, an eight-year-old boy injured after a coconut palm crashed on him the other day, died on Sunday. An agency report quoting revenue officials said rains damaged crops and property in Idukki, Kozhikode, and Kannur districts. Sea erosion was reported from coastal areas.
A relief camp has been opened at Kadinamkulam near Thiruvananthapuram where 40 from ten families were shifted. A report from Alappuzha said 78 from 22 fisher families affected by sea erosion got shelter in a camp. Indian meteorological department forecast rains to continue until Wednesday. It also said strong winds with a speed of 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, are likely along and off Kerala coasts and Lakshadweep in the next 24 hours. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into seas.
