Kottayam (Kerala) [India], October 17 (ANI): Three more bodies were recovered from Koottikkal in Kerala‘s Kottayam district on Sunday due to landslides triggered by heavy rainfall, which has pushed the death toll in the state to nine, officials said.
State ministers K Rajan, Roshy Augustine, and VN Vasavan participated in a review meeting to assess the situation arising due to heavy rains in the state, at Mundakkayam in Kottayam this morning.
In view of the red alert for rainfall and possible flooding and waterlogging in several districts of Kerala, a total of 11 teams of the National Disaster Relief Teams (NDRF) have been deployed to the state in coordination with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).
A total of 33 people including eight women and seven children have been rescued so far, according to the NDRF.
Early this morning a team of the NDRF conducted a rescue operation in Kokkayar, Idukki where a landslide occurred yesterday. Rescue operations were also conducted in and around Ernakulam district and in Vaipur, RanniTaluk in Pathanamthitta district.
According to the Met department, there will be isolated heavy rain in parts of the state over the next 24 hours starting October 17.
The India Meteorological Department today said that the low-pressure area over Southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Kerala has become less marked and there is a possibility of light to moderate rainfall at many places with only isolated heavy rainfall over the state during the next 24 hours and further decrease thereafter.
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 17 (ANI): At least six people have lost their lives so far in Kerala and over a dozen were missing as heavy rains lashed the state triggering flash floods and landslides in parts of the state, the Water Resources Minister Roshi Augustin said on Sunday morning.
On Saturday, four people were killed in Kottayam district while two casualties have been reported in Idukki district, the minister said.
Idduki and Kottayam districts in Central and South Kerala bore the brunt of the heavy rains that have been lashing the state since Friday with many people feared missing in landslides.
A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescued locals at Muvattupuzha in the rain-hit Ernakulam district, the Minister said.
A rescue operation by the NDRF is underway at Kokkayar, Idukki, stated the minister. “Army and Indian Air Force are on standby for assistance. We will provide all help to those in need,” said Kerala Minister K Rajan in the rain-hit Kottayam district.
Earlier on Saturday, it was reported that four people died in landslides in Koottickal in Kottayam and Kokkayam in Idduki districts of Kerala and 12 persons went missing due to heavy rainfall in the state.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday held a high-level meeting to intensify the rescue efforts and said that all means will be used to evacuate people stranded in areas flooded due to heavy rains in the state.
Isolated heavy rainfall over Kerala during next 24 hours: IMD
There is a possibility of light to moderate rainfall at many places with only isolated heavy rainfall over Kerala during the next 24 hours and further decrease thereafter, said the Indian Meteorological Department on Sunday.
The low-pressure area over the Southeast Arabian sea and adjoining Kerala has become less marked, said Kerala State Disaster Management Authority.
However, a trough of low at mean sea level now lies over Southeast adjoining East-central Arabian Sea off north Kerala-Karnataka coasts, added KSDMA. (ANI)
