Minister takes stock in rain-hit Kumari

Damages to nearly 28 houses, including 2 fully in various parts of the six taluks were reported over the last three days. Two person had a narrow escape from a collapsed house at Kannacode near Marthandam on Sunday as Fire and Rescue Services personnel rescued them. It kept drizzling intermittently in parts of Kulasekaram and Marthandam, sources said.

Teams led by Nodal officers at Deputy Collector rank and Tahsildars have been engaged in checking to find any old rain soaked house and rescue inmates as precautionary measure. A family of four was moved to an evacuation centre at Thumbacode village in Thiruvattar. The downpour in recent days triggered flash floods in Pazhayar.

Fisheries Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan consoled the bereaved families of Eugene (36) of Manjalumoodu, Vilavancode taluk and Regina of Ramanthurai, Killiyur taluk, who lost their lives in a wall collapse. The Minister also offered solatium of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of victims through State Disaster Relief Fund. Later, he visited coastal villages, including Poothurai and Chinnathurai.

Earlier, in Thoothukudi, the Minister told reporters that the state is taking all efforts to safeguard fishermen. With the aid of Indian Coast Guard and Navy personnel, search operations are underway to rescue missing fishermen of Nagapattinam. Ten fishermen on board three boats of Nagapattinam set out to sea off Cochin recently, but responding to cyclone alert, fishermen aboard two boats returned to shore and the other boat was capsized.

Due to heavy rains in catchment areas, the level in Pechiparai dam stood at 42.99 feet (full capacity 48 ft) until 5 pm, on Sunday, with an inflow of 1,326 cusecs and discharge of 500 cusecs for irrigation and also had an outflow of 468 cusecs of surplus water. It has brought cheer to farmers in Thovalai as they were demanding release of water.

Teams comprising officials from Departments of Agriculture and Revenue were assessing damage caused to crops by rains in nine blocks and a report is awaited, sources said.