The welcome summer showers accompanied by strong winds while providing a brief reprieve from the simmering heat resulted in a harrowing time for train passengers as train services to and from Ernakulam was disrupted for over at least two hours reportedly owing to snapped power cables between Edappally and Aluva on Wednesday from around 7.20 p.m.
Services of as many as seven trains were hit as they were stranded at various points causing considerable hardships to passengers caught inside. Among the train services affected were Jan Shatabdi, Chennai Mail, Nizamuddin Express, Nilambur-Kottayam Express, and Kannur-Ernakulam Inter City Express.
The trains were halted at Ernakulam North, Edappally, Kalamassery, Aluva, Angamaly and Chalakkudy railway stations. Efforts by the railway technical staff on a war footing helped resume services towards Thiruvananthapuram direction within an hour. Servies to the Thrissur side took even longer.
The unscheduled halt caught the passengers unawares and caused them considerable discomfort owing to the heat despite the showers.