Thiruvananthapuram: After a long lull, the southwest monsoon struck hard with a vengeance on Monday causing widespread destruction and at least three deaths across the district. Vincent, a mat seller hailing from Kuttichira, was killed after he was trapped under electric lines and a jackfruit tree that came down in the strong winds at Thittamangalam. The mishap occurred around 1.30 pm.
A passenger in an autorickshaw died after a tree fell on the vehicle at Poojappura. The deceased was identified as Ambili, 54. The auto driver was admitted to the Medical College Hospital with serious injuries. In another accident at Nedumangad, a 61-year-old farmer died after he came into contact with a power cable which snapped in the strong winds. He was identified as Thulasidharan of Panachamoodu.
Trees uprooted across the city causing roadblocks. Electric lines and poles also came down at many places. Tree branches broke and fell at the Cotton Hill Government Girls’ School and also on the compound of the official residence of Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan on the Cliff House premises.
At Kuravankonam, a tree fell on a parked motorcycle. No one was hurt in the incident. Two trees fell on the Poojappura police station compound. In many places, including those along the coast, houses were damaged. A house was partially damaged after a tree fell on it near the Mangattukadavu bridge.
The Fire and Rescue Department had its hands full on Monday, attending to alarm calls that flooded the control room. By 4 pm itself, the control room had received around 65 calls from across the State, Fire officials said. The lone emergency tender in the city was rushing from place to place attending to rescue operations.
Majority of the calls were related to uprooted trees which had blocked the roads. With calls pouring in, the Fire officials also activated units in the city as well Attingal, Vizhinjam, Neyyatinkara, Varkala and Nedumangad.
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