Kerala rains: Water from Idukki Pambla dam released; residents along Periyar advised caution

At least 56 people were killed after a strong storm and heavy rain uprooted trees and damaged houses across several districts of Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Thursday (May 14, 2026).Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the loss of lives and damage caused by unseasonal rain, thunderstorms and lightning on Wednesday (May 13, 2026) and directed officials to ensure relief reaches the affected families within 24 hours.According to reports received from various districts, 17 deaths were reported in Prayagraj, 16 in Bhadohi, nine in Fatehpur, five in Badaun, four in Pratapgarh, two each in Chandauli and Kushinagar, and one in Sonbhadra district.According to a list issued by the Prayagraj district administration, seven deaths were reported in the Handia area, four from Phulpur, three from Soraon, two from Meja and one from Sadar due to the storm and rain. In Bhadohi, sources in the district administration said at least 16 people died in storm-related incidents.Additional District Magistrate Kunwar Virendra Kumar Maurya said trees and electric poles were uprooted in several areas while many houses were damaged in the storm.Fatehpur Additional District Magistrate Avinash Tripathi said nine people were killed and 16 injured in storm-related incidents in the district. "Eight people, including five women, died in Khaga tehsil, while a woman died after a wall of a house collapsed in Sadar tehsil," he said.In Pratapgarh, four people died in separate incidents of wall and cemented shed collapses and lightning strikes amid strong winds and rain, the officials said.Superintendent of Police (SP) Deepak Bhukar said Bhim Yadav (25) died after being trapped under debris when a cemented shed collapsed in Ojha Ka Purwa village under the Lalganj Kotwali area.He said Bhushan Pandey (56) died after a wall collapsed in Sari Swami village under the Baghrai police station area.Mr. Bhukar said Shanti Devi (46) of Narangpur village and Lal Bahadur (44) of Chhatrapur Shivala Raghna village also died in storm-related incidents. In Kanpur Dehat district, two persons died in rain-related incidents, the officials said.Police sources said a 19-year-old woman, Ruchi, died after being struck by lightning in Bhauthari village under the Rasulabad area while standing under a neem tree with goats during heavy rain. Several goats also died in the incident.A 60-year-old man standing nearby was also injured, they added.Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Dushyant Kumar said reports regarding human and livestock losses had been sought from local officials and financial assistance would be provided as per government rules.CM Adityanath directed the district magistrates and officials of various departments to visit the affected areas and provide all possible assistance to the victims and their families.He also instructed officials to remain on alert and ordered the revenue and agriculture departments, along with insurance companies, to conduct a survey of the damage and submit a report to the government.Akhilesh urges U.P. govt. to step up relief workSamajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav urged the Uttar Pradesh government to undertake relief and rescue operations on a “war footing” after severe storms and rain-related incidents left several dead across the State.In a post on X, Mr. Yadav said it was “extremely saddening” that “54 people had died” in Bhadohi, Fatehpur, Sonbhadra, Badaun and several other places due to the severe storm and strong winds, while lakhs of people were badly affected following the collapse of houses, trees and walls.The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister urged the government to immediately arrange free and proper treatment for the injured, ensure the supply of food and drinking water, and make temporary accommodation arrangements for those affected.He also demanded dignified last rites for the deceased and called for an early assessment of damage to life, property, crops and vehicles so that insurance claims and comp

TVK’s winning candidate in Tirupattur, Seenivasa Sethupathy. File | Seenivasa Sethupathy from participating in the trust vote to be held on the floor of the Legislative Assembly on or before May 13, 2026, as per the instructions of Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.A summer vacation Bench of Justices L. Victoria Gowri and N. Senthilkumar passed the interim order after holding a hearing on Sunday (May 10, 2026) and Monday (May 11, 2026) on an urgent writ petition filed by former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Minister K.R. Periakaruppan, who had lost by a single vote to the TVK MLA.The writ petitioner claimed to have lost the polls because of two constituencies with the same name, ‘Tirupattur,’ in Tamil Nadu. He brought to the notice of the court that constituency number 50 in Tirupattur district was named Tirupattur, as was constituency number 185 in Sivaganga district, though spelt differently as ‘Tiruppattur’.Due to identical names, one of the postal votes cast in favour of the petitioner in Sivaganga district had been wrongly despatched to Tirupattur district, and that vote was not re-directed to Sivaganga district on the day of counting on May 4, 2026, which had led to the victory of the TVK candidate by one vote, the petitioner claimed.Senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi and N.R. Elango, representing the writ petitioner, had argued that if the postal vote had been redirected to Sivaganga district, both candidates would have secured equal number of votes and the winner would have been decided by draw of lots, as per the procedures precribed under the election laws.Prima facie satisfied with the submissions made for the grant of interim orders, the Division Bench granted an interim injunction restraining the TVK MLA from voting or otherwise taking part in any floor test, including the confidence motion/no-confidence motion/trust vote, or any voting proceedings in the Legislative Assembly.Judges’ clarification“It is made clear that this interim order shall not be construed as setting aside the declaration of the election of the sixth respondent (Mr. Sethupathy) nor shall it be treated as conferring any right upon the petitioner to be declared elected,” the Bench led by Justice Gowri clarified.The judges also directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to forthwith secure and preserve all records relating to counting of votes in the Tirupattur constituency in Sivaganga district. They ordered that if there was any postal vote wrongly despatched to Tirupattur district, that should also be secured and sealed.The ECI was further directed to preserve the video footage of the counting of postal ballots as well as the re-verification process undertaken after finding that the TVK candidate had won just by one vote against the writ petitioner. The electronic evidence should not be destroyed at any cost, the court said.“This order shall not be construed as a direction for recounting, reaccounting, reopening of ballot papers, validation of rejected postal ballot papers or interference with the declaration of the result already made,” the judges wrote and said, the rights and remedies of all parties are left open to be decided during the final hearing of the main writ petition.The judges directed the High Court Registry to list the main writ petition for further hearing on June 26, 2026. Published - May 12, 2026 11:22 am IST

Members and supporters of the Women in Cinema Collective participate in a candle light gathering to mark 9 years of 'Avalkoppam' movement in Kochi. | In a statement shared on social media on Wednesday (May 13, 2026), the WCC said that a group of likeminded individuals have come together to raise funds and support for their colleague in her continued fight for justice. The WCC has always supported the survivor and “we will continue to support all efforts to secure justice,” it said. It urged all members to share the information related to the fund raising drive and contribute in any way possible.Actor Dileep, who was the eighth accused in the case, was acquitted of all the criminal charges against him by the Ernakulam District and Sessions Court on December 8, 2025. Six others, including the key accused ‘Pulsar’ Suni, were found guilty of gang rape and wrongful confinement.The Avalkoppam Legal Support Trust, which was formed as a response to what it alleged as an ‘unjust verdict’ by the trial court, said in a communication that it is the responsibility of the civil society to provide a helping hand to the survivor in her fight. Vrinda Grover, senior Supreme Court lawyer, will represent the survivor in the Kerala High Court. The aim of the trust is to provide support to the survivors in cases of abuse against women. The campaign in support of the survivor in the actor rape case is the first of its kind selected by it for such support, it said. Published - May 13, 2026 04:24 pm IST

A study conducted by the Haritha Keralam Mission as part of preparing a water budget for local bodies in Ernakulam found that water availability in the Kochi Corporation remains surplus for most of the year but slips into deficit from late November to early May.The water budget prepared by for 96 local bodies, including the Kochi Corporation, found that the major challenge in most parts of the district is not water availability but the inability to conserve water.The total water requirement of the Corporation is 93.48 million cubic metres, while water availability stands at 116 million cubic metres. The difference of 22.52 million cubic metres indicates that much more water is available than what is required, said the report.According to the report, the Corporation experienced water deficit from the last 10 days of November until the first 10 days of May.“The water budget is prepared based on water availability and its utilisation in a region. It compares water availability and demand over a duration of 10 days from June of one year to May of the next year,” said Renjini S..“Rainfall is the main source of water and the key challenge lies in conserving the water received through it. The water budget, prepared by calculating the difference between water availability and consumption during the June-May water year in each local body, will help local bodies plan conservation strategies better,” she added.She added that excess reliance on water supplied by the Kerala Water Authority had not only put pressure on supply networks but also led to the neglect of other sources such as wells and waterbodies. “This points to the urgent need to revive waterbodies and ensure their conservation,” she added.In order to determine water requirements, demand from sectors such as domestic use, agriculture, animal husbandry, industry, and tourism was taken into account, she added. The water budgeting exercise was carried out by the Haritha Keralam Mission along with local bodies and various departments. The Centre for Water Resources Management and Development provided technical guidance and support for the exercise. Published - May 10, 2026 01:12 am IST

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said the deadline for filing objections regarding gram panchayat delimitation had ended, and the process for holding elections would be taken up shortly. Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said the State government would conduct gram panchayat elections before the end of the current calendar year.Speaking to presspersons in Kalaburagi on Saturday, Mr. Kharge said the deadline for filing objections regarding gram panchayat delimitation had ended, and the process for holding elections would be taken up shortly.“After the gram panchayat elections, elections to taluk and zilla panchayats will also be conducted,” he said.Replying to questions on drinking water scarcity in Kalaburagi district, the Minister said there was no shortage of funds for drinking water supply works. “The government has already provided ₹5 crore to each district for drinking water management. Additional funds will also be released wherever required. Apart from this, the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) has sanctioned ₹17.3 crore for drinking water-related works,” he said.Mr. Kharge said task forces headed by MLAs had been constituted, and drinking water works were being taken up based on their recommendations.He said he, along with MLAs M.Y. Patil and B.R. Patil, had already met Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar seeking the release of drinking water from the Bhima through Maharashtra to address summer water scarcity in the district.When asked about the expansion of the State Cabinet, Mr. Kharge reiterated that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the party high command would take an appropriate decision at the right time. Published - May 10, 2026 12:26 am IST

The Congress-led United Democratic Front had promised in its election manifesto that free travel would be provided for women in the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses. | A circular was issued on Friday to the public utility officials suggesting measures to introduce a gender ticketing system in buses, which will record if a passenger is a woman, man or child in ticket machines operated by the conductor of the buses.The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had promised in its election manifesto that free travel would be provided for women in the State transport buses, a freebie offer which was cheered by women voters, who outnumber men voters in Kerala. Before implementing the scheme, the corporation is trying to estimate the financial obligations the corporation will have to shoulder as part of offering free travel for women.As part of this, Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs) have been updated. According to the circular issued, all the conductors in the KSRTC buses should record the gender of passengers. The printed tickets generated by the ETMs will indicate the gender of the passenger, according to the officials.Although the UDF had promised free KSRTC travel for women across the State, offering free travel to women is also riddled with serious challenge for the cash-strapped public utility.Similar schemes have already been implemented in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Published - May 09, 2026 08:51 pm IST

Women belonging to the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) Kondhu community on Thursday have urged the government to provide safe drinking water facilities in Dayarthi village under Jeenabadu panchayat in Ananthagiri mandal of Alluri Sitharama Raju district.The villagers said that around 450 tribal residents in the hilltop settlement were dependent on contaminated stream water for drinking purposes, resulting in frequent illnesses such as malaria, cold and fever. They alleged that despite the implementation of schemes such as Jal Jeevan Mission and Janman, drinking water facilities had not reached their village.The residents said that road connectivity to the village had recently improved after Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan visited the area, but the drinking water issue remained unresolved. They also pointed out that patients had to travel to Devarapalli in private vehicles for treatment, spending nearly ₹2,000 on transportation.Tribal women, including Vantala Radha, Lakshmi, Kanthamma and Devi, demanded borewells and household tap connections. CPM district executive member K. Govinda Rao, along with local leaders Sridhar, Somanna and Narsinga Rao, urged the government to resolve the issue immediately and warned of a protest at the ITDA office if no action was taken. Published - May 07, 2026 09:57 pm IST