Youth dies after a tree falls on parked lorry in Kumily

The damaged Layam (cluster home) and autorickshaw after a tree fell on it at Wallardie near Vandiperiyar in Idukki. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Torrential downpour disrupted normal life in Idukki on Thursday. A 19-year-old youth died after a tree fell on a parked vehicle at the check-post on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border in Kumily on Thursday evening. Officials identified the deceased as Sreejith Manoj, a resident of Kurichy in Kottayam district.

According to officials, a lorry carrying rubberwood from Pala to Periyakulam in Tamil Nadu was parked near the checkpost due to brake failure. A massive tree fell on the vehicle due to heavy rain and strong wind around 2 p.m. on Thursday, and after hours of effort, three persons who were trapped inside the vehicle, were rescued. Though the seriously injured Sreejith was taken to a hospital, his life could not be saved.

Various parts of the district reported isolated incidents of trees uprooting. A tea layam (cluster home) was destroyed after a tree fell on it on Thursday morning at Wallardie near Vandiperiyar in Idukki.

According to officials, two rooms of the Layam owned by Harrisons Malayalam Limited were destroyed around 3 a.m on Thursday. Two parked autorickshaws in front of the Layam were also damaged.

Rain-related incidents in the district destroyed 112 homes. Two youths were injured after a tree fell on a moving two-wheeler at Kathipparathadam within the jurisdiction of Kanjikkuzhi police station in Idukki on Thursday evening. The injured are Kattappana residents Prasanth and Akhil.

A mudslide was reported near the Vattavada panchayat office on Thursday morning. Idukki District Collector V. Vigneshwari announced a holiday for all educational institutions, including professional colleges and anganwadis in Idukki, on Friday in the wake of a red alert issued in the district. The Collector also banned night travel in hilly areas of the district and banned all tourism-related activities in the district.

The shutters of Ponmudi, Pambla, Kallarkutty and Malankara dams were opened. On Thursday, the water level in the reservoir was 2,338.22 ft, as against 2,336.46 ft on the previous day. The water level in the Mullaperiyar dam rose 2.45 ft in the past 24 hours. The water level in the reservoir on Thursday was 124.75 ft as against 121.60 ft on Wednesday. The maximum allowed level fixed by the apex court is 142. ft.

Published - May 29, 2025 08:08 pm IST