Ashtamudi Lake

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Ashtamudi Lake
Location Kollam District, Kerala
Coordinates 8°59′N 76°36′ECoordinates: 8°59′N 76°36′E
Primary inflows Kallada River
Basin countries India

Ashtamudi Lake (Ashtamudi Kayal) is a freshwater lake in the Kollam District of Kerala, India. Ashtamudi means 'eight branches' (Ashta = 'eight'; mudi = 'branch') in the local language of Malayalam. This name is indicative of the lake's topography: a lake with multiple branches.

Ashtamudi Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.[1]

[edit] Rail accident

The Island Express train suffered a major accident while crossing a bridge at Perumon on July 8, 1988. A large number of its coaches fell into the lake. Scores lost their lives.[2] The train's operator was later declared unfit for his duties.[citation needed] As part of line broadening later, Indian Railways constructed a new bridge across the lake. The old bridge remains in memoriam of the tragedy.

[edit] References

  1. ^ The List of Wetlands of International Importance. The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  2. ^ Associated Press. "85 dead, 200 missing after India train derails", San Jose Mercury News, 1988-07-08, p. 19A. Retrieved on 2007-11-19. "A train crossing a bridge derailed today and plunged six passenger cars into a lake and left three dangling from the overpass. Officials said 85 people died and 200 were missing. About 500 people were taken to nearby hospitals, said officials in the towns of Quilon and Trivandrum, in southern India. Hospital officials in Quilon said 75 victims were admitted there and 25 others in serious condition were rushed by ambulance to a larger hospital in Trivandrum, about 30 miles away." 

[edit] External links

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