THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Intermittent rain accompanied by gusty winds continued to lash various parts of the district on Sunday following the formation of deep low pressure in the Arabian Sea in the wake of Cyclone Tauktae. However, the intensity of rain was less compared to that of the past three days. Life in coastal areas from Pozhiyoor in the south to Anchuthengu in the northern part of the district has been disrupted owing to the sea attack. According to the data with the district administration, a total of 23 houses were completely destroyed and 398 houses suffered partial damage.
Death knell for Shankhumukham beach
Shankhumukham beach completely disappeared in no time and the road stretching from Shankhumukham to the airport was almost washed away. Only a few metres remain for the sea waves to touch the boundary of the airport. The renovation works carried out at the spot were also wiped out by the giant waves. Minister Kadakampally Surendran visited Shankumukham and reviewed the situation on Sunday. “The government will seriously think about the situation at Shankumukham. Immediate action is the need of the hour,” he told reporters. Many other coastal roads are also on the verge of collapse. Over 100-odd houses situated in coastal regions developed cracks and some houses were completely washed away by the sea.
One more camp opened
More people in coastal areas were shifted to relief camps on Sunday. One more camp has been opened in the district taking the total number of camps to 23. Till Sunday evening,1,197 people of 308 families had been shifted safely to the camps. The highest number of camps were opened in Thiruvananthapuram taluk. As many as 771 people are being sheltered in 12 camps. At Neyyattinkara taluk, a total of 342 people have been shifted to eight camps while three camps were opened in Chirayinkeezhu taluk housing 84 people. The fishing boats have been shifted to safe zones. Meanwhile, the power supply in several areas, including coastal hamlets, is yet to be restored. Since the electric posts have been washed away, the KSEB workers are on duty to restore the power supply. There were disruptions in the power supply for the past two days in many parts after trees fell on the electric lines.