16 dead in rain-related incidents in Kerala

Heavy rain that lashed many parts of Kerala over the past three days has led to the death of 16 people in the state and caused a damage of Rs 6.34 crore in loss of agricultural land.

Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan, quoting preliminary estimates, informed the state legislative assembly on Monday that a total of 188.41 hectares of agricultural land had been affected by the rain.

The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the deceased and people who lost their homes in the coastal areas.

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority issued an advisory on Monday, restricting travel in hilly areas between 7 pm and 7 am, due to possibilities of landslips. Safety-based restrictions will also be in place on the beaches.

The alert to fishermen was extended in the wake of a forecast of strong winds reaching 40-50 kmph and gusting to 60 kmph along and off the Karnataka and Kerala coasts and over the Lakshadweep area.

Heavy rain continued to pound Idukki and Wayanad districts on Monday. The Meteorological Centre in Thiruvananthapuram recorded an “isolated extremely heavy rainfall” — of 32 cm — in Peerumed in Idukki.

Vythiri in Wayanad (15 cm) and Munnar in Idukki (13 cm) recorded very heavy rainfall. The southwest monsoon set in over Kerala on May 29.