The number of persons housed in relief camps in rain-battered Thiruvananthapuram district rose to 853 on Thursday morning even as there was a slight let-up in the heavy showers that lashed the district for the last three days.
Eleven relief camps have been opened in the district so far; seven at Chirayinkeezhu, one at Nedumangad and three in Thiruvananthapuram taluk. During the 12 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Thursday, the city received 6 cm of rainfall. The corresponding reading on Wednesday was 10 cm.
During the last 24 hours 15 houses in the district were destroyed while 165, were partially damaged in the rains. With this the total number of houses destroyed during the last three days has risen to 49 while the number of houses partially damaged stands at 2,279. Revenue officials have determined that 7,927 persons have been affected by flooding in various parts of the district.
In Nedumangad, 51 persons have been housed in a relief camp which was opend at the Pullanpara village on Wednesday night. They belong to 12 families living on the banks of the river Vamanapuram at Pandhaplaavikkonam. The Tehsildar C. R. Anilkumar on Thursday morning chaired a meeting of the task force set up to respond to any emergency situation. Officials from the PWD, the health department, the fire and rescue service, the forest department and the KSEB attended the meeting.
Following reports of a possible landslide at Ponnanchundu in Vithura village, a team of Revenue officials rushed to the spot. The administration is full geared up to respond to any situation, the Tehsildar C. R. Anilkumar said. One house was destroyed while 65 were partially damaged so far in the taluk.
In Chirayinkeezhu 575 persons from 150 families have been housed in seven relief camps. There, 10 houses have so far been destroyed while 103, have suffered partial damage. In Neyyattinkara taluk, six houses were destroyed during the last three days while 56, suffered partial damage. Low-lying areas in all taluks continued to be water-logged on Thursday.
The four shutters of the Neyyar dam were opened two inches more on Thursday to offset the strong inflow of water into the dam’s reservoir. Irrigation officials said the water level in the dam stood at 84.3 metres.
In Thiruvananthapuram taluk flood waters entered Lanka dweep in the Thiruvallam area while at Nemom, a woman was injured when her house collapsed on Thursday afternoon.
