Two from Andhra die after car falls into gorge in Kerala

Others who were rescued after the accident have been admitted to a hospital in Munnar.
Munnar accident
Munnar accident
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Two people died and six others were rescued after a car accident on Munnar gap road in Kerala on Thursday morning, May 19. The incident took place at around 8.30 am, when a car travelling from Andhra Pradesh fell into the gorge on the gap road. Noushad, 38 and his eight-month-old daughter Naisa, from Annamayya district, died in the accident. The others who were rescued have been admitted at the Tata hospital in Munnar.

Police are yet to identify what caused the accident but suggested that either fog or unfamiliarity with the road might be the reason for the mishap. An 18-member group in three vehicles from Andhra reached Idukki district on May 18 and stayed in Chinnakanal. On Thursday morning, they were traveling to Munnar.

Weather conditions are worsening in many parts of the state due to the onset of the monsoon. The Idukki district administration had earlier warned tourists and locals to be careful while traveling in the hilly regions. Many trekking and hilltop regions have been closed as part of precautionary measures taken by the state government.

Kerala has been experiencing heavy rainfall for the past few days and it has disrupted normal life in certain places of the state. Considering the heavy rains and to be better prepared for the early onset of monsoon in the state, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan issued a slew of directions on Wednesday to ensure that authorities were prepared to handle problems like landslides and flooding. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has already deployed five teams to Kerala.

The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has asked people to stay away from rivers and other water bodies until the rains subside. The SDMA has also asked people not to travel to hilly regions unless it's an emergency and to avoid night travel until the rain subsides. The IMD has earlier predicted that the Southwest monsoon, which is also known as Edavapathy in the state, is likely to bring its first showers to Kerala by May 27, five days earlier than the normal onset date.

 

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