After two days of relentless, ferocious rain that took seven lives in Kozhikode district, Friday began on a cheerful note with a shy sun peeping out of an overcast sky. And, for the rest of the day, the sun shone intermittently keeping rain mostly away.
The respite from rain lifted the spirits of the city which had been inundated for two full days. Storm water partially drained from the low-lying city centre, helping vehicles to be back on the road. It encouraged a large number of cars and other private vehicles to return. It also helped hundreds of more people to move into the temporary relief shelters opened by the authorities for those who had to flee their flooded homes. Evacuation of marooned people became easier with the rain keeping away and the floodwaters receding.
While shops and businesses largely remained closed on Friday, traffic picked up by the hour and by late afternoon, the main roads in the city were clogged as usual.
With the spread of a scare that the supply of petrol and diesel would soon go dry across the State, there was a rush to petrol bunks in the city. Long lines of cars and motorcycles formed in front of the bunks. Several bunks put up the hoarding ‘No petrol’.
The scare was caused by fake caution on social media, particularly on WhatsApp, that since the road infrastructure was in ruins, tanker lorries carrying diesel and petrol would not be able to serve petrol pumps for several days. Though oil companies and fuel dealers’ associations came out with reassurances, the rush sent the pumps dry.
