Heavy rains lash Kerala;extensive damage in coastal areas

Thiruvananthapuram, May 17: Heavy rains lashed various parts of central and southern districts of Kerala, causing extensive damage in coastal areas.

Rains and rough seas caused damage to hundreds of houses in coastal areas in the state capital, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts, official sources said.

Authorities have given directions to evacuate people in low lying areas, where reports of houses being damaged have come in. Relief camps have also been opened to shift the affected people in these areas, they said.

Police said water entered many houses in Valiyathura, Adimalathura and Cheriyathura near here and steps were already on to shift the affected people to relief camps.

The meteorological centre here said heavy rains, (exceeding seven cm) to very heavy rainfall (exceeding 13 cm) is most likely to occur at one or two places in Kerala till May 19 morning.

The state disaster management authority here said the heavy rains was not due to the likely onset of south west monsoon, but because of the low pressure formed in the Bay of Bengal.

They also alerted District Collectors to take necessary precautionary steps to face any eventualities as the rains are expected to continue for two more days.

PTI