Heavy rains damage 30 houses and cause rise in water level

The heavy rains that have been lashing the district over the last two days have caused widespread damage over 30 houses since Monday morning.

While the rains caused a rise in water-levels in the Pampa River, leading to the inundation of several low-lying areas, there is a possibility of traffic along the Alappuzha-Changanassery Road being affected if the rain continues. The road is already partially submerged at Thekekkara near Mankombu.

At least 30 houses, 27 of them partially, have been damaged since Monday, taking the total toll on houses in the district since the monsoon began to 749. The loss over the last two days is estimated to be around Rs.2 lakhs. Most of the houses that were damaged on Monday and Tuesday were in areas like Thirumala, Chungom, Pallathuruthy, Punnamada, the Nehru Trophy Ward, the ESI Ward, Komalapuram, Kalavoor and Pathirapally.

The total loss suffered by the district on account of rains since the start of the monsoon is pegged at Rs.5.5 crore, officials said. Of this, over Rs.2 crore was estimated to be the loss in the agriculture sector while damage to houses was worth about Rs.63 lakhs, they said.

Many houses along the coast too are bearing the brunt of the inclement weather with the rough sea causing the intrusion of seawater into several houses. The district administration is monitoring the situation round the clock. Arrangements are in place in case any family has to be evacuated.