Crops worth Rs 18.5 lakh destroyed in Idukki

KATTAPPANA: The heavy rain which has been lashing the district for the last several days has caused heavy damage to crops and property. According to the Agriculture Department sources, crops worth Rs 18.5 lakh in 150 hectares of land have been destroyed. The farmers in Thodupuzha, Peermade and Idukki taluk suffered a major loss as the crops got damaged in the rain.Three houses were fully damaged and over 17 houses were partially damaged in several parts of the district. Landslides were reported in Thodupuzha, Kulamavvu, Munnar and Elappara in the last two days.Power supply was disrupted in many parts of Idukki owing to the snapping of transmission lines. Traffic on many roads in and around the district was also disrupted owing to landslides. Strong wind uprooted trees and wreaked havoc in several parts of the district. Some private schools declared holiday on Friday. According to the official reports from the district administration, a loss of Rs 35.5 lakh has been reported from various places. Around 1,100 farmers have been affected by the rain.The water level in major rivers in the district is increasing. Kallarkutty dam was opened on Thursday. Around 7 ft increase in the Periyar has been reported. An average 4.8 cm rainfall was recorded in the district. The highest amount of 8.2cm rainfall was recorded in Peermade taluk.