Kerala landslide deaths cross 50

The death toll in the Rajamala landslide in Idukki district rose to 52 after two more bodies were recovered, the Kerala government said. The IMD has forecast very heavy rainfall in isolated areas in the state, prompting the authorities to sound an orange alert (6 cm-20 cm rains) in eight districts.

Idukki:With a let-up in the downpour, the floodwaters receded in many low-lying areas of central Kerala on Tuesday, while the toll in the landslide at Pettimudi in Idukki district rose to 52. Two more bodies have been recovered from the debris as search operations continued to trace the missing.

There was no red alert warning in any of the state's 14 districts as the intensity of rains decreased and the affected areas started limping back to normalcy, although hundreds of flood-hit people are still housed in relief camps, particularly in Alappuzha, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam districts.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast very heavy rainfall in isolated areas in the state, prompting the authorities to sound an orange alert in eight districts-- Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod districts.

Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has warned about the possibilities of landslides in the hilly areas already hit by heavy rainfall in the past few days and directed people living in the region to be vigilant.

Actively carrying out rescue operations at Pettimudi near Rajamala in Idukki district where the settlements of estate workers were destroyed by devastating landslides four days ago, various agencies engaged in the rescue operations on Monday retrieved six more bodies.

Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said multiple government agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), KSDMA, Fire Force and Police were actively involved in the rescue operations at the site.

The forest department and their Rapid Action Force personnel were also active in the search and rescue operations being carried out in an area of 16 km on both sides of the Pettimudi river, he said.

This is the third year in a row that Kerala has been experiencing monsoon-related disasters, but it had taken all precautions to deal with the situation, he said.

(with inputs from agencies)