Strong wind, rain wreak havoc in Alappuzha

Gusty winds and rain wreaked havoc in parts of Alappuzha in the early hours of Wednesday.

Gusty winds and rain wreaked havoc in parts of Alappuzha in the early hours of Wednesday.

A 19-year-old person sustained serious injuries after a tree fell on him while he was riding a motorcycle at SN Junction near Ambalappuzha. The injured man, identified as Thajudeen of Nilambur, was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Alappuzha.

Scores of trees were uprooted in Kuttanad, Ambalappuzha, Cherthala, Kayamkulam, Mavelikara and Chengannur taluks in the district damaging houses and disrupting vehicular traffic. Revenue department officials said that one house was destroyed in Ambalappuzha taluk and another 50 suffered damage in six taluks after trees fell on them.

“We are still in the process of assessing the damage. Trees brought down by rain and wind, especially on roads and in public places, have mostly been cleared with the help of Fire and Rescue Services personnel,” said an official.

Several areas in the district reported power outages after trees and branches fell on overhead wires and other installations. The Kerala State Electricity Board is in the process of restoring electricity in affected places. Train traffic on the Ernakulam–Kayamkulam coastal line was briefly disrupted after trees fell on tracks at Thuravoor and Thakazhi.

A portion of the wall of the Thrikkuratti Mahadeva temple at Mannar was damaged after a tree fell on it. A temporary pandal constructed in connection with the renovation of chuttambalam at Ayyappanchery Sree Dharmasastha temple in Kanjikuzhy grama panchayat was destroyed in strong wind. No one was injured in the incident. The pandal was constructed at a cost of ₹7.5 lakh.

An under-construction house under the Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment Mission was damaged at Thalavady in Kuttanad.