Kanyakumari rains and floods: Death toll rises to 7

KANYAKUMARI: The death toll from the heavy rains and floods in Kanyakumari district rose to seven on Friday, as three more were reportedly crushed to death by falling trees. Four persons including a 60-year-old woman were killed in Kanyakumari district that was ravaged by torrential rain accompanied by squally winds, uprooting scores trees and throwing life out of gear on Thursday. Three more on Friday died in the district to the rain effect, official sources said.

The dead included 27-year- old Vimal of tribal village, Paraliyaru near Keeriparai in the district, who reportedly died as a tree uprooted by the gale fell on him. Two more persons, Thiyagaran (67) of Vadaseri,  Nagercoil and Rathinasamy (65) too were said to have been crushed to death by falling trees. Fishermen’s representatives complained that around 300 fishermen who ventured into fishing in 30 boats from Thengaipattinam fishing harbour did not return. However,  the Fisheries department officials said that only 15, went for fishing from various parts of the district were found missing.

Reacting to the problem of missing fishermen, the State Revenue minister, R.B. Udayakumar said that of the 57 fishermen complained to have not returned on Thursday, 42 had been rescued and search operations have been intensified to rescue the remaining 15 fishermen who were still missing. The minister added that three patrolling vessels of the Indian coast guard have been pressed into action in the rescue operations to find the missing fishermen.

Colachel Marine police have registered three complaints preferred by the relatives of 10 fishermen, whose whereabouts are not known. Fisheries department officials, however, said that they have been receiving information that some of the Kanyakumari district fishermen landed safe at the coastal hamlets near Kollam and Kochi in Kerala. “We are yet to get the exact number of fishermen who landed safely on the Kerala coast,” said an officer. Around 30 country-craft boats in the district tossed by the high tides were damaged and around ten boats were reportedly washed away into the sea creating heavy losses to the fishermen.

Even the national highway in Kanyakumari district was not spared by the flood, as traffic in one of the country’s longest highway--NH 7,  was suspended since Friday morning as the road got severely damaged by the flow of the flood waters. As a result, road connectivity between Nagercoil and Tirunelveli got cut off. National highways authority of  India officials, however, said that works are on in warfooting to restore traffic in the sector.