Eight more die: Toll rises to 31

Thiruvananthapuram, July 21 (UNI) With eight more deaths reported from different parts of Kerala today, the toll in monsoon-related incidents rose to 31 during the past three days in the state.

With this, total casualties in rain-related incidents in the state since June one had risen to 183.

Though the fury of the monsoon had subsided, its after effects still continued in districts like Alappuzha where paddy fields in the Kuttanad region remained submerged in flood.

According to official sources, standing crops in 166 hectares were destroyed in Kuttanad alone and the loss was estimated at Rs 19.9 crore.

As many as 1,722 houses were fully damaged and 37,114 partially in Alappuzha district alone. The authorities had opened 708 relief camps to which 75,000 people were shifted.

As the low-lying areas were still under water, 2,11,755 people had been shifted to 1,079 relief camps set up across the state, the sources said and added that free food and medicine were being provided to them.

According to latest data available, the state had suffered loss of property, including roads and crops, totalling Rs 337.48 crore since the monsoon began on June one last.

Standing crops in 28,684 hectares were destroyed and the loss on this count was estimated at Rs 126.85 crore, the sources added.

UNI