Heavy rains lash several parts of Kerala

Heavy rains lashed several parts of Kerala, especially Ernakulam and Kottayam districts, inundating low lying areas on Wednesday morning. Earth and boulders fell onto the railway track this morning between Kottayam and Chingavanam following a landslip affecting train services between Kottayam and Ernakulam stations, railway sources said. The 06301 Venad special train from Thiruvananthapuram has been terminated at Changanassery station and the pairing train (06302) from Ernakulam will start from Changanassery, the sources told PTI.

Heavy rains lashed several parts of Kerala, especially Ernakulam and Kottayam districts, inundating low lying areas on Wednesday morning. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for six districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Kottayam, and Idukki. It has been raining heavily since last night.

Several areas in Kochi city, including the busy Jos junction, MG road, Panampilly Nagar are waterlogged. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus terminus in the city is also inundated.

Water has also entered many homes in West Kochi. Earth and boulders fell onto the railway track this morning between Kottayam and Chingavanam following a landslip affecting train services between Kottayam and Ernakulam stations, railway sources said.

The 06301 Venad special train from Thiruvananthapuram has been terminated at Changanassery station and the pairing train (06302) from Ernakulam will start from Changanassery, the sources told PTI. Two OHE (Overhead Equipment) masts are slanting, suspending traction supply between Kottayam and chingavanam.

The Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur Jan Shatabdi express via Kottayam has been diverted via Alappuzha. According to weather report at 0830 hrs this morning, rains recorded in various places in cm are Kottayam 19.76, Vaikom 19.1, Chertala 17.6, Kochi airport 15.42, and Thiruvananthapuram city 4.82.

With wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph likely to prevail along and off Kerala coast, fishermen have been advised not to put out to sea. Kerala had been devastated by the worst floods in the last 100 years during August 2018 that claimed over 400 lives and razed several houses, while last year the state's northern parts were flooded again in August as heavy rains and widespread landslides had wreaked havoc, claiming over 120 lives.

A large number of people including women and children had lost lives at Kavalapara in Malappuram and Puthumala in Wayanad alone when the massive landslides rocked the places.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)