KANNUR: A tree fell on the road near Mullikad junction in Kollam in the heavy rains continuously lashing the state. A huge tree fell on top of the power line. Vehicles in the shed near the road have been damaged.

The situation in Malappuram is severe. Four houses were completely damaged and 15 houses partially following sea surge. Around 50 houses were flooded. A house partially collapsed at Poothadi in Wayanad. A big accident was averted as the family was in the next house. A tree fell on top of a house at Kunnathukal in Thiruvananthapuram. People including bedridden escaped miraculously. The security wall of Kannur Central Jail collapsed. The incident happened at 7 am this morning. The wall fell about 30 meters away.

Meantime, various dams in the state opened due to heavy rains in the catchment areas. In the wake of opening of the Maniyar Dam in Pathanamthitta, an alert has been

issued to those residing on the banks of Pampa and Kakkatar. Kallarkutty and Pambla dams in Idukki have also been opened. Two shutters of Pambla Dam were opened. The first shutter opened at 75 cm and the second shutter 30 cm. Two shutters of Kallarkutty Dam opened. One shutter was opened 15 cm and the second shutter 90 cm. The officials said people on the Periyar coast should be vigilant.

The Meteorological Centre informed that rains will intensify in the state today. Apart from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, 12 districts are on orange alert today. A yellow alert has been announced in Kollam. Holidays have been declared for educational institutions in Kannur, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam and Kasaragod. Educational institutions operating as relief camps in Pathanamthitta and Kuttanad taluk will remain closed. MG, Kannur and Technical Universities have postponed all the exams scheduled for today. An alert was issued on Muthirapuzhayar and Periyar coasts. Kochi, Ponnani and Kozhikode are severely affected by the sea. Night travel has been banned in Idukki and Kannur. The weather monitoring centre has announced that the intensity of rain will decrease by tomorrow.

Meantime, the ministerial meeting to be convened here today will discuss the rain situation in the state. The directions to deal with rain savages have already been handed over to the collectors. The government is putting forward the suggestion that there is no need to worry and that the warnings should be strictly followed.