Intense rain brings Thiruvananthapuram to a halt for hours

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The heavy rain that lashed the capital on Wednesday brought the state capital to a standstill for hours. The IMD had issued an orange alert for the district on Wednesday, and intense rainfall that lashed the district inundated low-lying areas in the city.

Killiyar river, Amayizhanchan canal and every other stormwater drains overflowed and submergeda roads and inundated several houses displacing many from various parts of the capital city. Various areas in the busy East Fort and Thampanoor areas turned into a stream bringing life to a standstill for several hours during the day.

Central Theatre Road, East Fort, KSRTC Bus Stand and Chalai Market were flooded. Many shops in the Chalai Market suffered flooding affecting the business hours. Pongumoodu Main Road in Ulloor ward, Snehapuri and Krishna Nagar Road in Pappanamcode, Ambalakunnu in Melamcode ward, Vanivilakam Road, SS Kovil Road in Thampanoor faced flooding.

The overflowing Pattom canal inundated many houses in Thekkumoodu Bund Colony. The team from the City Corporation had to move many families from the houses at Bund Colony to safety.

The worst hit were the areas on the banks of the canals and rivers including Amayizhanchan Canal, Pattom Thodu and Killiyar river. Several houses in Aalukadu in Poonthura Manikyavilakam ward, Pulimoodu Lane in Vattiyoorkavu ward, and Abhaya Nagar in Peroorkada ward were submerged in flood water.

Many other residential areas and roads in Poonthura Manikyavilakam ward, Karamana Nedungad, Kannamoola Green Lane, Vidyadiraja, Kulapura in Jagathy ward, People’s Line, Mulluvila in Attipra ward, NS Depot in Vallakadavu ward, Ganganagar in Kamaleswaram, Elankath Nagar in Valiyavila ward, Pazhani Nagar in Sasthamangalam ward also faced flooding.

Many families in the areas facing flooding have moved to other places because of the heavy rains which are expected to continue. IMD has issued a yellow alert for the district on Thursday. Eleven people have been shifted to Kalady School.

As many as 66 people from 17 families displaced in the heavy rains were shifted to eight relief camps opened by the district administration. There are two camps each in Thiruvananthapuram, Varkala and Kattakada Taluks and one camp each in Neyyattinkara and Nedumangad Taluks.