3 tribals crushed to death by uprooted tree during festival

: Three tribals died after a tree uprooted by heavy rain and wind fell on them near here Thursday, police said.

The three were taking part in an ethnic festivalwhen the accident happened, the police said adding that two children sustained minor injuries.

Theywere taken to a taluk hospital and their condition was stated to be stable, they said.

Certain pockets of northern district of Malappuram received heavy rain Tuesday.

Several houses were damaged in the coastal areas of Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital,due to sea erosion and strong waves.

Meanwhile, the meteorological department predicted heavy rain in the state next week andsounded an alert for four districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur, Idukki and Malappuram.

 

"A well-marked low pressure area lay over east equatorialIndian Ocean and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal and its associated upper air cyclonic circulation extends upto mid-tropospheric levels," the weather report said.

The southern state had suffered the deadliestflood in the century last August, which claimed over 400 lives.