Kerala monsoon mayhem: Five deaths confirmed in Rajamala landslide
Ten injured have been admitted in Tata High Range hospital, Munnar
Five deaths have been confirmed in the massive landslide that occured in the wee hours of Friday at Rajamala near Munnar in Idukki district of Kerala.
Four bodies have been recovered from the site, regional media reports quoting tehsildar of Devikulam. Ten injured have been admitted in Tata High Range hospital, Munnar. National Disaster Response Force teams, police, fire and rescue personnel have left for the site. Estate workers are now coordinating rescue works.
The mishap occurred in the lane houses (layams) of plantation workers in the Pettimudi plantation division. There were 84 persons living in the lane houses and 67 of them are feared trapped in the landslide, according to regional media reports.
Meanwhile, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sought assistance of Indian Air force to provide choppers for rescue operation at the landslide site. Medical teams and fire and rescue personnel have been sent to Munnar from other districts.
Dam gates opened, residents evacuated from flood path areas
Heavy downpour continued to batter Kerala with landslides in high-range areas, flooding of low-lying areas, sea erosion along coastal areas and strong winds causing widespread destruction to buildings and agriculture. All districts have been receiving heavy rains since last two days and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted extremely heavy rains in the state till Tuesday.
Red alert has been issued in Malappuram district on Friday while Orange alert was sounded in eight districts including Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod.
Though the earlier IMD forecast for heavy rains was till Sunday, the warning has been extended till Tuesday in the wake of chances of formation of another low-pressure system in Bay of Bengal which will strengthen the monsoon further.
High-range areas are getting heavy rains since last two days and landslides have been reported from hilly areas. Water level in all the dams and rivers is increasing and the authorities are keeping vigil over the storage level in major dams as the catchment areas are getting torrential rains.
Relief camps have been opened in many areas in Ernakulam district as swollen River Periyar and Muvattupuzha river inundated many houses.