The heavy rain over the past one week and more has claimed more lives and caused further crop loss across the State. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan visited the rain-hit kole paddy lands in Thrissur district on Sunday and assured the farmers of all possible assistance. Three persons were killed in Thiruvananthapuram in lightning on Saturday and Sunday. Rajesh of Nedumangad and Sajinald of Peroorkada were killed on Saturday and Manikantan of Neyyattinkara lost his life on Sunday as he was reportedly fixing a TV antenna. Three children were killed in a landslip in Wayanad on Saturday. In Kasaragod, three of the fishermen who went missing in the sea on Saturday, were traced on Sunday. The rescued fishermen were Chandran, 35, Gangadharan, 45, and Vasanthan, 40. The two yet to be traced are Gopalan, 50, and Varghese, 26, the latter hailing from Thiruvananthapuram. There was some respite from the rain in many parts of the State on Sunday. The district that the received the highest rain was Kannur (10 cm). Thiruvananthapuram came a close second with 8 cm over the past 24 hours. Heavy to very heavy rain has been forecast in different parts of the State over the next 48 hours on account of a well-marked low pressure area over the Arabian Sea off Kerala and Karnataka. The Agriculture Department is assessing the crop loss and, as a result, various figures are doing the rounds about the quantum of loss. The official estimate of the loss of paddy and other crops appeared to be in the region of Rs. 110 crore by Sunday evening, but there was no finality. Cashew cultivators in north Kerala have claimed that they have sustained a loss of Rs. 150 crore. They have sought a massive procurement programme by the government . In Thiruvananthapuram, paddy crop on 28,000 acres is said to have gone under water. Crops on 12,293 hectares were lost in Thrissur and 4,489 hectares in Kottayam. Thiruvananthapuram also saw damage to 13 houses and partial damage to 495 houses. Mr. Achuthanandan, who spent Sunday morning visiting the kole lands, held an hour-long meeting with elected representatives and officials in the district to assess the magnitude of the havoc. Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran, currently in Hyderabad to attend the 20th party congress of the Communist Party of India, is reported to be leaving for New Delhi on Monday to meet Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to seek assistance for the rain-hit farmers. Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy and KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala will reach Delhi on Monday and call on Union Ministers to secure assistance for the farmers.