Kottayam: Nine people, including five of an Adimaly family, died and two went missing in heavy rains and landslide in Idukki district on Thursday.
At Keerikkal Periyar valley, Koottakkal Augusthy, 70, his wife Elikutty, 65, Meenakshi, 93, wife of late Kumaran of Karikulam, and Thankamma,47, wife of Mani of Kambilikandam Panthapillil, died while Usha,57, and Rajan, 52, children of Meenakshi, went missing.
Mr Augusty and Ms Elikutty were sleeping in the bedroom when their rented house caved in.
Jessy, the wife of their grandson Vipin, and their one-year-old daughter escaped unhurt.
Ms Meenakshi and her children washed away in the landslide with their house. Rescuers found her entangled on the branch of a tree half a kilometre away at am on Thursday.
Her one leg and a portion of her stomach found severed from the body.
The search for the children is continuing. Ms Thankamma died by 5.15 am after a landslide. Her body was also found half a kilometre away. Her husband Mani and son Shine escaped with minor injuries.
At Adimaly, Fathima, 65, wife of Puthiyakunnel Hassan Kutty, her son Mujeeb,38, daughter-in-law Shammena,35, and her children, Diya,7, and Miya,5, died in the landslide.
Mr Kutty and his relative escaped miraculously. Police and firefighters found their bodies after an arduous search lasting many hours.
