At least 18 people died and a dozen were missing on Saturday as heavy rains pounded south and central Kerala causing flash floods and landslides in many parts, prompting the state government to seek the assistance of the defence forces for rescue operations.
“The situation is really serious in some parts of the state. We will do everything possible to save lives. We have sought help from the army, navy and air force. Relief camps have been set up in the districts,” Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a statement after chairing an emergency meeting in the state capital.
State Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan, who reached the neighbourhood of these landslide-hit villages, said bodies of two women and a child who died, were recovered while search was on to recover the body of a man who also lost his life in the incident.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall would continue in Kerala over the next 24 hours and has issued a red alert for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki and Thrissur districts. It has also issued an orange alert for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.
“Under the influence of the Low pressure area over Southeast Arabian Sea off Kerala coast, Kerala is expected to receive isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls till the morning of October 17. Isolated heavy rainfall is expected on 18th and further reduction in rainfall from 19th morning,” said the IMD in a statement.
Following the warning from IMF, chief minister announced that colleges that were to reopen from October 18 should now only open from October 20. It was also decided that the Sabarimala pilgrimage will be avoided till October 19.
Many hilly areas of Kottayam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta are experiencing almost similar to that of the situation the state faced during the time of devastating floods of 2018 and 2019 but authorities said everything was under control and there was no need for any panic.
(With inputs from agencies)