THAIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India - Cyclone Thane yesterday played spoil 
sport to New Year's bash in Kerala apart from claiming five lives in rain-related incidents in the state's capital city and leaving a trail of destruction.
A federal government spokesman said a 75-year-old grandmother and her three-year-old grandson were electrocuted while an elderly woman was crushed to death as she was trapped in her mud house which collapsed in the heavy rain. Her husband was seriously injured. Two men drowned in a stream flowing through the city.
Many city areas have been flooded and relief camps are being opened to move the affected people.
Though other parts of the state received heavy rain in the cyclonic weather, no loss of human life or damage to properties have been reported yet. The heavy rain has disappointed hundreds of tourists who have reached the state to celebrate the New Year.
Disappointment is writ large on the faces of tourists who have flown down to Alappuza. The rain has forced them to remain indoors during the New Year's eve.
"Ever since I had heard from a friend of mine about Alappuzha, it was my dream to celebrate a New Year in the old port city. It took five years to raise money for the trip, but unseasonal rains spoiled my dream at the last moment, bad luck," said William James, a Briton who arrived in Alappuzha a couple of days back with his girlfriend.
Source: Agency
sport to New Year's bash in Kerala apart from claiming five lives in rain-related incidents in the state's capital city and leaving a trail of destruction.A federal government spokesman said a 75-year-old grandmother and her three-year-old grandson were electrocuted while an elderly woman was crushed to death as she was trapped in her mud house which collapsed in the heavy rain. Her husband was seriously injured. Two men drowned in a stream flowing through the city.
The government has announced ex-gratia payment of Rs100,000 each to the family of the victims.- In the heavy downpour of Cyclone Thane, which reached the state belying the prediction that the state is safe, more than 50 houses in the city were heavily damaged.
- The flash flood has inundated the Neyyar dam reservoir that provides water to the city and the authorities have decided to open the shutters to release water.
Many city areas have been flooded and relief camps are being opened to move the affected people.Though other parts of the state received heavy rain in the cyclonic weather, no loss of human life or damage to properties have been reported yet. The heavy rain has disappointed hundreds of tourists who have reached the state to celebrate the New Year.
- Many hotels and resorts across the state have cancelled their planned extravaganzas after the open air venues decked up for the occasion have turned slushy and the weathermen forecast heavy rain to thunder showers for the next 24 hours.
- In Alappuzha, where tens of hundreds of tourists have thronged to celebrate the new year on house boats, the authorities have issued a warning against boat cruises in the sprawling lake in the night. They imposed restriction on waterfront celebrations. The area received 24mm of rainfall in 24 hours that ended at 8:30am.
Disappointment is writ large on the faces of tourists who have flown down to Alappuza. The rain has forced them to remain indoors during the New Year's eve."Ever since I had heard from a friend of mine about Alappuzha, it was my dream to celebrate a New Year in the old port city. It took five years to raise money for the trip, but unseasonal rains spoiled my dream at the last moment, bad luck," said William James, a Briton who arrived in Alappuzha a couple of days back with his girlfriend.
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