Summer rains devastate Kochi; Teenager drowns as widespread damage hits district

Kochi: While the heavy summer rains that lashed Kochi recently provided some relief from the heat, they also caused widespread destruction across various parts of the Ernakulam district. Amidst the storms, a tragic incident occurred at the Vallikkada river crossing near Avoli in Muvattupuzha, where two 17-year-old students went missing after being swept away by currents while bathing.

The victims, identified as Ashwin and Chris, had gone into the water for a bath after finishing their catering work. Ashwin's body was recovered near the site of the accident. The search for Chris continues under the leadership of the Fire Force and the Scuba team.

The district has suffered major infrastructure damage, with power outages reported in several areas and damage to houses and vehicles. The Angamaly and Muvattupuzha regions have reported heavy agricultural losses, with rubber, cocoa and nutmeg trees, as well as vegetable crops, extensively destroyed. Local representatives estimate the losses in the Muvattupuzha region alone to be worth hundreds of thousands of rupees. Revenue authorities are expected to conduct inspections to assess the full extent of the damage.

The gale-force winds and rain caused trees to uproot across the district. In Aluva, a banyan tree—estimated to be nearly 200 years old—standing in the courtyard of the Edakkattil Temple, collapsed onto a building and a car. Similar incidents of trees falling onto homes and vehicles have been reported from various other parts of the district.