THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Three fishermen died, while three others went missing after heavy rain lashed various parts of the state on Monday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts and orange alert in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam on Tuesday.
The deceased include two fishermen who drowned after their boat capsized off Perumathura coast in Thiruvananthapuram. Three fishermen went missing in the incident and a search is going on to locate them. Meanwhile, in Alappuzha, a fisherman died while attempting to bring a country boat to the shore. Santhosh, 40, of Puthuval house in Komana, Ambalappuzha, fell in the sea after his leg got tangled in a rope.
Heavy rain that lashed the hilly areas of Thiruvananthapuram triggered flash floods forcing authorities to close down a few eco-tourism centres. In view of the heavy rain and red alert issued in Thiruvananthapuram, the divisional forest officer ordered the closure of Ponmudi, Kallar and Mankayam eco-tourism centres until further orders.
A group of three tourists from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu had a narrow escape after their car was washed away in a flash flood near Meenmutty waterfalls in Thiruvananthapuram. Local residents managed to rescue the trio before the car was completely washed away. Heavy rain continued to batter Kallar-Meenmutty and adjoining areas till late on Monday. Flash floods were also reported at Kalladikode in Palakkad, with water gushing through the Palakkad-Kozhikode highway and disrupting traffic on the route. Ernakulam too received moderate to heavy rain in the evening.
ALERT
RED : T’Puram, Kollam, P’thitta, Idukki (extremely heavy rainfall of over 204.4mm likely)
ORANGE : Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam (isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall between 64.5mm and 204.4mm)
Fishermen advised not to venture into the sea
Holiday in capital dist today
For all educational institutions. Exams to be held. Quarrying, mining and non-essential travel & tourism activities in hilly areas, river banks and sea shores banned until further orders