Rains continued to wreak havoc in Kerala for the second consecutive day on Friday. Many parts of the state remain under water.
Landslides have been reported from many parts of the state. The death toll in the rain, landslides and electrocution rose to 22, while over 23,000 people have been moved to relief camps.
Major landslides have been reported from Bhoothanam and Kavalappara on Friday. Body of a child was recovered from Muttappankunnu near Bhoothanam in Pothukallu panchayat near Nilambur of Malappuram district. As many as 80 people are suspected to be trapped under the debris while 30 houses have been destroyed.
As many as seven bodies have been found from Puthumala near Meppadi in Wayanad district where a major landslide took place on Thursday evening. The deceased include one child and one woman. The recurring landslides have been hindering the rescue operations in the area.
The Central Water Commission has warned that the state might witness deluge this year too.
Red alert is in place in nine districts—Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod—on Friday. Rains have affected road, rail and air traffic. The Cochin International Airport has been closed till Sunday because of water logging.
All educational institutions in the state remain closed on Friday. University and PSC examinations have been postponed.
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Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday that landslides and cloudbursts were reported in 24 places in the state. Rescue operations are being coordinated giving prominence to landslide prone areas in the high range, he said.
“The deadliest landslide was reported from Meppadi in Wayanad district. Traffic to Meppadi has been completely disrupted interrupting rescue efforts. Rescue workers are now trekking the forest path to reach the accident site,” the chief minister said, adding, “We have requested the service of the Air Force. Currently, the rescue operations are being coordinated by the NDRF, Kerala Fire Force, Kerala Police and Kerala Forest Department. Rescue work is being hampered by the shortage of equipment.”
“Those who live on the other side of Puthumala, where the landslide occurred, have been relocated,” the CM said. He also advised those who live on the banks of Chalakudy river to stay alert as a canal in Tamil Nadu was destroyed. “This may increase the water flow into the river,” he said.
High waves in the range of 3.2-3.7 metres are forecast till Saturday night along the coast of Kerala from Pozhiyoor to Kasaragod. Officials have advised fishermen not to venture into these areas during the period.
Train services on the Mararikulam-Alappuzha route was suspended this morning for a few hours as a tree fell on the track, damaging electric lines. At least four trains—Maveli Express, Rajdhani, Dhanbad express and Guruvayur—were held up at various points, railway sources said.
As per the official updates on Friday morning, 22,165 people have been shifted to 315 relief camps in the state. In Wayanad, which is among the worst affected, 9,951 people have taken shelter in 105 camps, while in Malappuram, 4,106 people have been shifted to 26 camps.