Five students were killed and seven seriously injured after a huge tree fell over the school bus in which they were travelling at Colonyppady near Nellimattom, about five kilometres from Kothamangalam town around 4.30 p.m on Friday.
The tragedy struck when the huge tree on the busy Kothamangalam-Munnar national highwaywas uprooted in heavy rain and strong winds. It smashed right through the middle of the roof of No. 1 bus of Vidya Vikas School at Karukadom in Kothamangalam, pulverizing it into a ‘V’ shape. The deceased, all of them from the Kothamangalam area, were identified as Krishnendu, 5, Aalanchamolel, Injoor; Johan Jeggy, 13, Mathanmolel, Kuthukuzhi; Gauri Punnakkal, 10, Oonnukal; Amin Jabir, 9, Karothukuzhi, Pidavoor; and Eza Sarah Eldho, 10, Chittayath, Nellimattom.
The first three were declared dead at Mar Baselios Medical Mission Hospital, Kothamangalam, where four others have been hospitalised with injuries. The other two succumbed to injuries at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dharmagiri, Kothamangalam, where two other children have been admitted. One student with critical head injuries was referred to the Medical Mission Hospital, Kolencherry. Driver Ayyappan and helper Geetha escaped unhurt.
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