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Five persons, including two women and two children, lost lives and two men were missing in Thiruvananthapuram district in the rain that lashed southern Kerala since late Friday night after the remnant of Cyclone Thane transformed into a low pressure system after wreaking havoc in Tamil Nadu.
The torrential rains that continued till late Saturday morning from Friday night also dampened the spirit of New Year celebrations in Thiruvananthapuram, known for its IT sector based, mainly, at the state-of-the-art infrastructure facility, Technopark.
At least 50 houses were damaged, two of them completely, in the rains in Thiruvananthapuram district while all the low-lying areas in the State’s capital city remained submerged even on Saturday evening causing traffic jams. The rains also hit train services from Thiruvananthapuram after the signal systems malfunctioned.
The Government, Thiruvananthapuram district administration and local authorities launched relief and rescue operations by shifting people in low-lying areas to relief camps set up at safe areas. The Government declared a relief assistance of Rs 100,000 to those who had lost their homes completely and Rs 10,000 each to families of those who lost lives.
Kerala Transports Minister VS Sivakumar, the legislator representing Thiruvananthapuram, told newsmen that three relief camps had already been opened and instructions had been given to open more camps. “Food and ration would be provided free of cost in the camps,” Sivakumar said.
Proving the forecasts wrong, the remnant of Thane took a turn towards south-southwest from its “appointed” track since Friday night, landing the system over Kerala, said scientists at the India Meteorological Department office in Thiruvananthapuram. They said that the hyper-active southern flanks of the system were responsible for setting off the heavy rains in south Kerala.
In Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram, Lalithambika (75) and her granddaughter Nandana (6) were electrocuted while Aditya (3) drowned in an overflowing canal. Adiya’s father Kalesh was swept away by the current and search for him was continuing even late Saturday evening. Mohanan (5) of Balaramapuram drowned in a strong current.
A young woman, Sumathi, was killed when earth caved in on her house at Vilappilsala, Thiruvananthapuram. Her husband Ponnappan was admitted to the Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram with serious injuries.
All rivers and main canals in Thiruvananthapuram district were overflowing. Four shutters of Neyyar dam were opened after the water in the reservoir abruptly rose above the maximum level of 85.7 feet.
Several houses were damaged in the coastal region after the sea turned rough. Heavy rains were reported from almost all areas in southern Kerala, including the Hindu pilgrimage centre, Sabarimala. Pilgrims had a tough time during their climb up the hills to the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala as rains lashed the forest for over 12 hours since 10.00 pm Friday.
The rains also caused disappointment to revelers in Thiruvananthapuram city and in several places in the capital district as most roads and vacant places in low-lying areas remained water-logged. Revelers at Thampanoor in Thiruvananthapuram city said that their New Year had now gone drenched in rainwater.
“It is a very disappointing experience to have rains on this particular day. This was the one day we were waiting eagerly to celebrate after Onam five months ago,” said Remya Chandran, an IT professional. “The only thing we can do is to shift the celebrations to a dry place,” she said.
Relief operations were launched on war-footing to bring back normalcy in cyclone Thane battered Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district and the adjacent Puducherry, as the toll caused by the severe storm mounted to 42 on Saturday.
As the administrative machinery was put in top gear, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said nine more people have died in rain related incidents, taking the toll to 42, following the severe cyclonic storm that crossed Tamil Nadu coast on Friday.
The torrential rains that continued till late Saturday morning from Friday night also dampened the spirit of New Year celebrations in Thiruvananthapuram, known for its IT sector based, mainly, at the state-of-the-art infrastructure facility, Technopark.
At least 50 houses were damaged, two of them completely, in the rains in Thiruvananthapuram district while all the low-lying areas in the State’s capital city remained submerged even on Saturday evening causing traffic jams. The rains also hit train services from Thiruvananthapuram after the signal systems malfunctioned.
The Government, Thiruvananthapuram district administration and local authorities launched relief and rescue operations by shifting people in low-lying areas to relief camps set up at safe areas. The Government declared a relief assistance of Rs 100,000 to those who had lost their homes completely and Rs 10,000 each to families of those who lost lives.
Kerala Transports Minister VS Sivakumar, the legislator representing Thiruvananthapuram, told newsmen that three relief camps had already been opened and instructions had been given to open more camps. “Food and ration would be provided free of cost in the camps,” Sivakumar said.
Proving the forecasts wrong, the remnant of Thane took a turn towards south-southwest from its “appointed” track since Friday night, landing the system over Kerala, said scientists at the India Meteorological Department office in Thiruvananthapuram. They said that the hyper-active southern flanks of the system were responsible for setting off the heavy rains in south Kerala.
In Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram, Lalithambika (75) and her granddaughter Nandana (6) were electrocuted while Aditya (3) drowned in an overflowing canal. Adiya’s father Kalesh was swept away by the current and search for him was continuing even late Saturday evening. Mohanan (5) of Balaramapuram drowned in a strong current.
A young woman, Sumathi, was killed when earth caved in on her house at Vilappilsala, Thiruvananthapuram. Her husband Ponnappan was admitted to the Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram with serious injuries.
All rivers and main canals in Thiruvananthapuram district were overflowing. Four shutters of Neyyar dam were opened after the water in the reservoir abruptly rose above the maximum level of 85.7 feet.
Several houses were damaged in the coastal region after the sea turned rough. Heavy rains were reported from almost all areas in southern Kerala, including the Hindu pilgrimage centre, Sabarimala. Pilgrims had a tough time during their climb up the hills to the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala as rains lashed the forest for over 12 hours since 10.00 pm Friday.
The rains also caused disappointment to revelers in Thiruvananthapuram city and in several places in the capital district as most roads and vacant places in low-lying areas remained water-logged. Revelers at Thampanoor in Thiruvananthapuram city said that their New Year had now gone drenched in rainwater.
“It is a very disappointing experience to have rains on this particular day. This was the one day we were waiting eagerly to celebrate after Onam five months ago,” said Remya Chandran, an IT professional. “The only thing we can do is to shift the celebrations to a dry place,” she said.
Relief operations were launched on war-footing to bring back normalcy in cyclone Thane battered Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district and the adjacent Puducherry, as the toll caused by the severe storm mounted to 42 on Saturday.
As the administrative machinery was put in top gear, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said nine more people have died in rain related incidents, taking the toll to 42, following the severe cyclonic storm that crossed Tamil Nadu coast on Friday.
