The district authorities are in the process of assessing the loss to agricultural crops and dwellings due to the high-speed winds that swept many pockets in the hilly terrain of the district on Tuesday. The worst affected were Maruthomkara and Thiruvambadi regions.
George M. Thomas, MLA, and Agricultural Department and village office personnel visited the affected regions on Wednesday to assess the extent of loss. Many of the affected areas are not easily accessible and the officials had to return mid-way, sources said. The continuing winds too proved to be a deterrent.
Agricultural crops such as areca, banana, nutmeg, coconut, cashew and pepper vines have been destroyed in the strong wind known as ‘January kattu’ in local parlance. “This year the winds arrived earlier and on Monday it was stronger than usual. As many as 1,500 banana trees were damaged,” says K.V. Naushad, Agriculture Officer, Maruthomkara-Kavilumpara.
Maruthomkara, contiguous to the Western Ghat belt, was one of the badly affected regions in the district. Loss to crops and houses was reported from Muthappanuzha and neighbouring areas in Anakkampoyil in Thiruvambadi grama panchayat.
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