The heavy rain accompanied by stormy winds that lashed the western parts of Kottayam on Sunday evening has left a trail of destruction in the region.
According to officials with the Kottayam district administration, the incessant rain accompanied by squally winds brought down several trees, snapping power cables and damaging parked vehicles and houses. However, no causalities have been reported so far. The extent of damage is yet to be estimated.
Eyewitness accounts suggested that the winds started around 6 p.m. and caused a havoc in and around the backwater town of Vaikom, bringing life to a complete standstill. Traffic along several roads here remains suspended while the fire and rescue personnel have commenced efforts to remove the obstructions.
The tiled roof of the centuries-old Vaikom Mahadeva temple here sustained severe damage in the impact of the high-velocity wind. A portion of the Vaikom Area Committee office of the Communist Party of India too has collapsed.
Meanwhile, the district disaster management authority has declared an yellow alert for Kottayam on Monday and asked the public to maintain high vigil. With the rain expected to continue for at least a couple of days more, the paddy crop waiting to be harvested in upper Kuttanad now faces the prospect of a complete washout.
