Monsoon claimed its first victim in the district when a differently abled person was crushed to death by a portion of the compound wall of the civil station, which collapsed under the weight of an uprooted tree opposite the Kerala Books and Publications Society at Kakkanad on Monday around 4 p.m.
The deceased was identified as Ashraf, 57, of Edathala near Aluva. A lottery vendor, he was engaged in his trade alongside the collapsed section of the wall. Besides demolishing the almost six-feet wall in its wake, the giant tree came down crashing on the bonnet of the car of a dentist who had a providential escape, the Thrikkakara police said.
Rain continued to lash the district for the second consecutive day on Monday though with a reduced intensity compared to the previous day. Rain is likely to continue in the district as per the weather forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department, which has predicted isolated heavy rains as a very likely proposition for the next three days.
Based on experiences from the last year’s flood, arrangements have been put in place well in advance for the effective management of Bhoothathankettu and Edamalayar dams in the district. The Irrigation Department had issued an advisory well before the onset of the monsoon that all the barrages of Bhothathankettu dam will be opened and water will be released to the Periyar by June 11 or 12 depending on the intensity of the rain.
Revenue authorities, however, said that the water level in Edamalayar dam was not a cause for concern, ruling out the need for opening its spillways any time soon. The district administration has not yet opened a district-level control room at the collectorate to take stock of monsoon calamities as of now. It will be opened shortly if the intensity of rain warrants so.