Thiruvananthapuram: Continuous rain across Kerala for the past two days has hit normal life in almost all of its 14 districts, bringing traffic to a halt in many places and wrecking roads and houses in multiple districts.
The downpour began even as the state was ruing the deficiency of the monsoon season rainfall, and the forecast is for the rains to continue for another 48 hours.
Weather forecasts pointed to a low pressure that developed over Kerala and Lakshadweep that led to the heavy rains in the state. Forecasts have pointed to the rains continuing till September 21, with particularly heavy rains likely in some places.
In Kottayam, the rains brought earth down on the construction site of the railways where track-doubling work was in progress at Chingavanam. The incident led to a disruption in rail services.
Much of the damages caused by the incessant rains were reported from Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Palakkad, Idukki districts.
Incidentally, Wayanad has been the district that faced the most rain deficiency this monsoon season, with a deficiency of 45 per cent, compared to the state’s overall deficiency of 16 per cent.
Idukki, which had also received insufficient rains so far this year, witnessed heavy rains over the past few days. The shutters of the Kallarkutty dam in the district were opened following heavy rains.
Water logging on the main roads affected traffic in a number of places including the main cities of Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. The rains over the weekend have also affected students and office-goers.
Following the rise in water levels, shutters of several dams including Neyyar, Sholayar and Peringalkuthu have been opened, and local residents have been warned of the likelihood of a rise in water levels in rivers in the adjoining areas.
