Heavy rains claims three more lives in Kerala, monsoon toll rises to 31

Torrential rains lashed several parts of Kerala, particularly the hilly Wayanad and Idukki districts, where a red alert has been sounded by the Met office, while three people, including two children, died in rain-related incidents, officials said on Wednesday.

As the current heavy spells continued for the second day and more forecast in coming days, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said district authorities have been asked to take all necessary steps to face any eventualities.

Mananthavady in Wayanad district recorded the maximum of 15 cm of rainfall, while Munnar and Myladumparain Idukki clocked 12 cm and 11 cm respectively. Ottapalam in Palakkad and Vythiri (Wayanad) recorded 10 cm each as per the readings recorded at 8.30 am on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department here said.

With the three deaths due to incidents of drowning, landslides and tree fall since Tuesday night, the toll since the onset of the four-month long South West Monsoon that set in on June 1 has risen to 31, officials said.

While a 63-year-old man from Muttar village in Kuttanad in Alappuzha district drowned in a river, a five year-oldgirl met with a watery grave in Wayanad. A six year-old girl died on Tuesday night when a branch of a tree fell on her in Wayanad, state monsoon control room sources told PTI.

Three fishermen are missing in Ernakulam after their boat capsized.

Of the 31 fatalities, Kozhikode district has reported the highest of 10 among the districts.

A red alert for extreme heavy rainfall (over 20 cm) has been issued for Kozhikode and Wayanad on Thursday and orange (6 cm to 20 cm) for various other districts in the state.

Vijayan said with very heavy rains forecast by IMD in the next four days,landslide, flooding, mudslides were a possibility and district authorities have been asked to take all necessary steps, including shifting people living in areas prone to landslides, to safer places.

With very heavy rains expected in Idukki, Ernakulam district also could be affected, he said.

Night travel should be avoided in high rangeareas, Vijayan said.

In main dams, the water level has not risen substantially and the discharge was being done in a controlled manner from three reservoirs -- Peringalkuthu, Kallarkutty and Lower Periyar -- under the Kerala State Electricity Board.

Water was also being released from some dams under the Irrigation department, Vijayan said.

In the last two years, very heavy monsoon rains had led to overflowing of most dams in the state which caused unprecedented floods claiming over 500 lives totally.

(Photo Credit: PTI)