THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Heavy monsoon rain, which continued to lash the state since Thursday has claimed three lives in the state, while four others were reported missing.
The heavy downpour caused damage to houses and crops, prompting authorities to shift people in low-lying areas to safer locations.
Since the rain fury has caused considerable damage in northern districts, people living in the high ranges and coastal areas of five northern districts have been put on high alert.
While one person died in Kasargod, two deaths were reported from Palakkad. A search is on to trace four persons, who went missing in Kasargod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts during heavy rain.
In Kasargod, standing crops in seven hectares were damaged in the heavy downpour.
Six houses were partially damaged and the agriculture loss is estimated around `16.54 lakh.
In neighbouring Kannur, as many as 63 families were rehabilitated and agricultural loss to the tune of `54 lakh was reported. While one house was destroyed, incessant rain has caused partial damage to 24 houses in the district.
Wayanad district experienced a total rainfall of 12.32 mm in the last 24 hours leaving six tribal colonies in Sulthan Bathery taluk stranded. As many as 171 persons belonging to 56 families were evacuated from their houses and relocated to camps. The torrential rain has led to a rise in the water level of the Kabani river inundating areas including Panamaram, Periya, Kurumani, Venniyodu and Kalloor.
Heavy rain in Kozhikode caused an agriculture loss close to `55 lakh affecting around 188 farmers. Though major casualties were not reported in Malappuram district, low lying areas are still lying inundated.
In Palakkad, the loss to agricultural crops has been estimated at `3.41 crore.
Seven houses have been fully damaged and 167 partially damaged. The district administration has estimated that 72.39 hectares of paddy fields have been damaged in six taluks of the district till date. Idukki district received 85.48 mm rain during the last 24 hours ending on Friday morning. This is the highest rainfall recorded in the season even as the Idukki dam had only 36.29 per cent of water of its total capacity.