Widespread damage to property and crops has been reported in the heavy summer rain and wind that lashed many parts of the district on Saturday and Sunday. Power supply too was disrupted in many parts of the district.
A building of the Udaya UP School at Sasimala, near Pulpally, was partially damaged after a tree fell on it.
Rain damaged crops, especially plantain, vegetables, cassava, rubber trees, arecanut and coconut palms, in Pulpally, Mullankolly, Edavaka, Panamaram, Thariyode, Padinjarethara, Vellamunda, Periya and Pozhuthana grama panchayats, Agriculture Department sources said.
Houses destroyedFifteen houses were destroyed and close to 100 houses suffered partial damage in rain-related incidents in various parts of Sulthan Bathery taluk, especially in Mullankolly and Pulpally villages, N.M. Premraj, Sulthan Bathery Tahsildar, said.
Damage to the houses was estimated to be Rs.15 lakh, he added.
Close to 20,000 plantains were uprooted in Vellamunda grama panchayat, K. Mammootty, Agriculture Officer, Vellamunda Krishi Bhavan, said.
The crops loss was estimated at Rs.40 lakh according to preliminary reports of the Agriculture Department, he added. Crops in nearly 100 hectares, including bitter gourd, amaranths, cowpea, pumpkin and cucumber cultivated in various parts of Mananthavadi taluk, were also destroyed in the rain, sources added.
But, the summer rain was a relief to the wildlife, especially in areas on the Kerala-Karnataka border, including the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, where forest fire was posing a threat.
