THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The south-west monsoon continued to lash the state with heavy rains leaving a trail of destruction even as the Meteorological Department predicted heavy rains in the next 48 hours.
With heavy rain wreaking havoc, the government has decided to expedite relief measures and instructions were given to all district collectors to take measures to provide assistance without delay.
The government has announced a solatium of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those killed in the torrential rains. The government also decided to provide free ration to those affected, Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash told reporters here on Monday after a review meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.A total of 11 people were killed in the past one week as per the records available from the districts. A total of 82 people have lost their lives in the state after the monsoon struck the state in June, Adoor Prakash said.Regarding damage to the houses, the Minister said that an amount of `2 lakh each would be given to those who lost their houses. A total of 157 houses were destroyed and 4,027 damaged in the rains till today. About 8700 people were now housed in 51 relief camps across the state, he said and added that Alappuzha with 21 camps has the largest number of relief camps. In Wayanad, 13 camps have been set up. While there are seven camps in Kottayam district, Thrissur and Pathanamthitta have four camps each and Kozhikode and Ernakulam one each, he said. The Chief Secretary has been asked to discuss with the Irrigation Department on removing the mud in the Thottappalli spillway that which could help in curbing floods in Kuttanad region.
Reports from the various districts show that much damage has been caused to houses and standing crops. A report from Alappuzha said that villages in Upper and Lower Kuttanad were isolated.
In Palakkad, as many as seven control rooms were opened to bring the situation under control.
A report from Ernakulam said that there was a let-up in monsoon rains. Pathanamthitta also saw water-logging in many parts.
A Wayanad report said that two shutters of the Banasura Sagar reservoir of the Kuttiyadi hydro electric project were further lifted on Monday owing to the heavy inflow from the catchment areas.