Kottayam; The torrential downpours and squally winds that swept across the state on Wednesday morning left behind widespread damage.
Several trains running via Alappuzha and Kottayam, between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram, experienced delays due to trees falling onto the tracks. Trains heading toward Ernakulam were brought to a halt after a tree fell near Ochira, obstructing the route. One of the affected trains was the Palaruvi Express, travelling from Thirunelveli to Palakkad. Additionally, the Kollam-Alappuzha train was halted at Harippad following a similar incident near Thakazhi. The Nizamuddin-Thiruvananthapuram Super Fast train also encountered delays, coming to a stop at Kollam.
In Alappuzha, gusty winds uprooted a tree, which fell onto a car near Thuravur. Meanwhile, traffic to the hill station of Malakkappara in Thrissur was halted due to soil erosion near the Malakkappara bridge.
Kottayam also faced significant disruptions, with numerous tree falls reported across the district, particularly in Kottayam and Kumarakom. The eastern high ranges of the district continued to experience heavy, intermittent rainfall. The uprooted trees caused traffic jams on many village roads in Kumarakom, while traffic on the MC Road to the Nattakom port was completely halted by a tree blocking the road. However, other sections of the MC Road remained open and functional.
Tree falls were reported from Pallom, Puthuppally, MG University, and Kidangoor as well. The Fire and Rescue Department quickly launched efforts to remove the fallen trees and restore normalcy.
In the eastern region of Kottayam, floodwaters inundated the road at Randattumoonni in Idamaruku. Rainfall continued unabated in the eastern parts of the district. In Pallom, a tree fell onto the house of Puthuvalil Shaji, causing partial damage. Several two-wheelers were also damaged in the incident.
Kumarakom reported the highest wind speeds in the state during the early hours of Wednesday, with gusts reaching 57.5 km per hour.
In Thiruvananthapuram, the uprooting of a tree disrupted traffic along the Vithura-Ponmudi route, leaving several vehicles, including a KSRTC bus, stranded. On the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway, tree falls caused blockages at Valara and Cheeyappara.
The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a warning, predicting heavy rains and winds of up to 50 km per hour in isolated locations across Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki, and Ernakulam. Districts such as Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Kannur may experience moderate rainfall and winds of up to 40 km per hour. Lighter rains are expected in the remaining districts.
