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In a shocking incident, a drinking water tank with a storage capacity of 1.35 crore litres burst in Kerala's Kochi on early Monday (November 10), leading to severe flooding that swept away several houses and vehicles, officials told the PTI news agency. A portion of a feeder tank belonging to the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) collapsed at Thammanam, triggering panic and chaos among the people. The incident occurred between 2 am and 2.30 am when part of the water tank at the KWA feeder pump house collapsed. The KWA officials stated that the tank has two chambers with a total capacity of around 1.38 crore litres. Here's how water tank collapsed The wall of one chamber collapsed, and the gushing water first broke through the compound wall of the pump house before entering about 10 nearby houses. Moreover, Ernakulam MLA T J Vinod said several vehicles parked in the area were swept away, according to a PTI report. "Electronic gadgets and furniture on the ground floor of the houses were damaged. The water also entered a nearby health centre, destroying medicines and equipment," he added. The feeder tank, which was built more than 50 years ago, boosts water supply to Kochi city and the Tripunithura areas. "The damaged chamber stored water meant for Kochi city," Vinod said. Also Read: Explore Fort Kochi: Monuments And Heritage Sites That Define Its Legacy Panic among residents As the tank collapsed, the residents said that they were not aware of it and only learnt about the collapse when water entered their house. Compound walls for three houses have been damaged in the flooding, a resident said. Thrikakkara MLA Uma Thomas, who also visited the area, urged the KWA to provide immediate compensation to residents who suffered property loss. Additionally, KWA officials said alternative arrangements would be made to ensure an uninterrupted water supply to Kochi and neighbouring areas.
