Heavy rain disrupts life in Palakkad in Kerala; dams opened, tourist spots shut

Heavy rain disrupted normal life in several parts of Palakkad district, causing damage, waterlogging and traffic interruptions on Saturday. An orange alert was declared in the district, and educational institutions were given a holiday.A house at Puthuppally Street collapsed on Saturday morning. However, the five-member family, including elderly parents, escaped unhurt. The house of Shahul Hameed collapsed soon after the family moved to the rear side on hearing a loud noise. A bike was damaged under the debris.Following Saturday’s heavy rain, District Collector Sudhir K. banned entry to all hill tourism destinations, including Nelliyampathy and Malampuzha. Entry to Kava at Malampuzha was also restricted.Water levels rose in several dams, leading to the opening of shutters. Six shutters of