Thiruvananthapuram: A local correspondent of a Malayalam television channel was among two persons who lost their lives in flood-ravaged Kerala, when their boat capsized in Kottayam district on Monday.
The deceased were identified as K.K. Saji, 47, alias Megas, who was a local correspondent of the Mathrubhumi News channel and Bipin Babu, 26 who was also in the country boat that took a television team to report about the flood situation. Babu was a car driver for the news channel.
There were three others in the boat as it travelled along the Kottayam-Vaikom canal. All five in the boat managed to hold on to the capsized vessel and three of them were saved by those who were on the banks who rushed to save them.
The accident occurred after they had filmed the plight of villagers in Ezhumanthuruthu in Mundar, who have been marooned by the flood waters.
Reports said all five held on to the capsized boat for some time, but after a while Saji and Babu, exhausted by the effort, lost their hold and were drowned before help came.
Over 20,000 people are estimated to be in government-run camps in various parts of the state following the heavy downpour in Kerala last week. Educational institutions have reopened after closure for many days, but people in places badly affected by the rains are yet to return to normal lives.
