Widespread damage to properties and crops has been reported in the heavy rain that lashed many parts of the district for the past several days.
Normal life in many parts of the district was hit on Tuesday after low-lying areas were inundated in the torrential rain. “The district administration is adopting steps to open relief camps in Kottathara, Panamaram, Sulthan Bathery and Mananthavady to shift families living in low-lying areas, K.M. Raju, Additional District Magistrate, told The Hindu.
As many as 17 houses suffered partial damages in rain-related calamities. Widespread damage to crops were reported in the heavy rain and wind that lashed the district since June 6.
The crop loss was estimated at ₹4.5 crore, according to preliminary reports of the Agriculture Department.
The rain seriously affected crops, especially plantain, vegetables, paddy, rubber, and areca nut and coconut palms in Thavinhal, Panamaram, Thariyode, Noolpuzha, Nenmeni, Muttil, Sulthan Bathery and Poothadi grama panchayats, Sreelatha Vallyathan, Assistant Director, Principal Agricultural Officer, Wayanad, said.
As many as three lakh bunched and non-bunched plantain cultivated on nearly 130 hectares were uprooted in the winds.
An estimated loss of ₹3 crore was incurred in the plantain sector alone, Ms. Vallyathan said.
As many as 200 areca nut palms,104 coconut palms, 431 rubber trees, and 200 pepper vines also got uprooted in the rain. Apart from this, vegetable cultivated on 5 hectares and paddy cultivated on 2 hectares were also destroyed.
According to the rain data available with the Regional Research Station, Ambalavayal, the district received 684.5 mm of rain from January 1 to June 12 this year as against 472.2 mm rain during the corresponding period last year. For the period between June 1 and June 12, the district received 219.1 mm rain this year as against 47 mm last year.