Rain, wind wreak havoc in hilly tracts of Pathanamthitta

Joseph M.Puthussery, MLA, visiting a damaged house in Mallappally on Saturday. Photo: Radhakrishnan Nair

Heavy wind and rain wreaked havoc in Mallappally, Ranni and Konni areas of the district on Saturday evening.

As many as 10 houses were damaged, three of them totally destroyed, in the wind that lashed Kottangal, Malambara and Vaipur areas of Mallappally taluk on Saturday. This is besides the large-scale destruction to standing crops, especially rubber and plantain trees, worth a hefty sum.

Kallooppara MLA, Joseph M.Puthusserry, visited the natural calamity-hit areas of Mallappally on Saturday night. The MLA has called upon the Government to extend immediate relief to the affected families.

In Ranni

The heavy downpour that lasted for nearly one-and-a-half hours had flooded the small towns of Ranni and Konni on Saturday evening.

Many major as well as pocket roads in Ranni and Konni were flooded with rain waters and vehicular traffic on the Muvattupuzha-Punalur State highway in Ranni too was affected for about and hour.

Hundreds of rubber trees as well as other trees were uprooted in the wind and a good number of houses were damaged when some of these trees fell over them.

Kerala State Electricity Board sources told The Hindu that hundreds of electric posts have either been uprooted or damaged in the wind, disrupting power supply to a major part of the taluk.