Damaged houses in rain-hit areas will be rebuilt, says minister

Coimbatore: Tourism minister K Ramachandran inspected the rain-affected areas at Pandalur and Gudalur on Sunday and announced that the state government would reconstruct houses completely damaged in Friday’s rainfall. He later provided relief materials to affected people in both the taluks.
Speaking to reporters, the minister said the district administration was ready to face the southwest monsoon.
“Pandalur received heavy rainfall on Friday night. As the rivers were already desilted, the rain did not affect many areas. More than 28 tribal families were affected due to the heavy rain. We will reconstruct the houses that were completely damaged,” Ramachandran said.
District collector M Aruna said the landslides were cleared immediately and necessary steps were taken to take care of the people.
As the water level has increased in the Ponnani River, people living along the river were shifted to temporary camps on Saturday, a revenue department official said.
While most areas in Pandalur and Gudalur were flooded in Friday’s rainfall, flash floods were reported in the Padanthorai River.
Pandalur Bazaar Road, Kozhikode-Gudalur Road, and Taluk Office Road were flooded. Traffic was affected and the rainwater entered the residential areas and commercial establishments.
Revenue divisional officer Senthilkumar visited the rain-affected areas and instructed the officials to speed up the rescue work.
Nisha, a worker from the Uppatti primary health centre, and two others were travelling in a car when a landslide occurred on Devala–Athikunna Road.
However, the three people got out of the car to safety while the vehicle fell into a gorge.
Another landslide was reported on Devala-Kariyacholai Road.
The water level has increased in the Puliyampara River near Gudalur.