Residents reel under sweltering heat amid power outage

March 14, 2024 12:24 am | Updated 12:24 am IST - KOCHI

A power outage that lasted for nearly 12 hours left a section of residents under the Ponnurunni Division of the Kochi Corporation reeling under the sweltering heat.

Power disruption was experienced from 1.30 a.m. to 1.45 p.m. on Wednesday in areas opposite Welcare Hospital at Vyttila. “The residents had a tough time as the power outage, which lasted for over 12 hours, left them to suffer amid the scorching heat. The functioning of commercial institutions and medical stores was also affected,” said T. Jayachandran, proprietor of CICC Books, and a resident of the area.

KSEB officials said the disruption occurred after an underground cable got damaged while the concrete slab over the drain along Sahodaran Ayappan Road was being lifted. Repeated efforts to restore supply had failed. Supply was restored around 1.45 p.m, they said.

Though residents had expressed doubts over whether the beautification of the footpath along Sahodaran Ayappan Road undertaken by Kochi Metro Rail Limited had caused damage to the underground line, the metro authorities denied it. “We were not carrying out any work at the site mentioned,” they said.

C.D. Bindu, councillor of Ponnurunni Division, said she would look into the reason behind the power outage.