Kerala: Rains bring respite

Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi: Giving some respite from the hot weather, there was widespread rainfall across the state on Wednesday.  Many parts of the state including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Wayanad districts received heavy rains accompanied by thunder, lightning and gusty winds on Wednesday.  IMD has predicted widespread rain in the coming days.

Heavy summer rains accompanied with a hail shower, thunder, lightning and strong winds wreaked havoc in Wayanad and high ranges of Kozhikode district on Wednesday.  Traffic came to a halt for half an hour in Sulthan Bathery when an electric post hit by an uprooted tree came down on the National Highway 766. The rains continued for about two hours, according to local people.  Vehicles had to stop or travel in a rather slow pace as drivers were afraid that the hailstorm would break the windshield.According to experts, such pre-monsoon showers are normal 40 days ahead of the actual arrival of the South West Monsoon, which is expected on June 1, 2019.

The Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall at one or two places in Malappuram district on Thursday.

While high-temperature alert continues in the state with IMD predicting 2 to 3 degree above normal temperatures in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Malappuram, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargode districts on Thursday.

"Such showers are normal during summer. The temperature has been very high recently and localised rainfall happens because of this.Also the state normally receives such showers 40-days ahead of the actual monsoon," says K Satheesan, Associate professor and Head of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, CUSAT.

Woman, nephew killed in lightning

Two persons - a woman and her nephew - died on the spot when a lightning hit them while sitting inside their house in Vettikkal near Mulanthuruthy on Wednesday evening.

The deceased were identified as Lissy (49) wife of Johny of Vattothukuzhiyil in Vettikkal, and Annex (15), Lissy's nephew.

According to police, Annex had come to his aunt’s house two days ago for school vacation.

The incident happened around 4.45 pm.

Police said that both of them were sitting inside the room when a sudden lightning hit them. Though the relatives and neighbours rushed the duo to a nearby hospital, both of them were declared brought dead.

The bodies are kept at A. P. Varkey Mission Hospital, Arakkunnam and will be handed over to the kin likely on Thursday. The house was also damaged in the lightning.