Kottayam/Idukki: The toll from disastrous flooding caused by heavy rains and landslides in hilly areas of two central Kerala districts rose to 21 as rescue workers recovered more bodies from the rubbles on Sunday.
State Revenue Minister K Rajan said the rescue workers had recovered 15 bodies from the debris and slush of the landslides that had hit various places of Idukki and Kottayam districts on Saturday.
“The rescue workers have recovered 15 bodies till now. This includes 12 bodies from Koottickal in Kottayam, one body from Peerumedu and two which were recovered on Saturday from Kanjar in Idukki district,” Rajan said.
Idukki District Collector Sheeba George said six more bodies were recovered on Sunday.
Officials said the bodies of three children buried under slush were recovered after an intense rescue effort. The children, aged eight, seven and four, were found holding to each other, officials said.
Kerala Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, who visited Kokkayar and Koottickal alleged that the State government had failed to launch rescue operations in time in the affected areas.
At Koottickal in Kottayam district, a family of six including a 40-year-old man, his 75-year-old mother, 35-year-old wife and three girl children aged 14, 12 and 10 were killed as their house was swept away in the landslide. Bodies of three were recovered yesterday and remaining bodies were found by the rescuers during their efforts today.
Meanwhile, the heavy rains subdued a day after it wreaked havoc in the State.
In its forecast, India Meteorological Department said Saturday’s low pressure area over southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Kerala has become less Marked and now seen as a trough from south Interior Karnataka to south Tamil Nadu at lower levels.
A fresh spell of easterly wave is likely to affect south Peninsular India from October 20 and cause fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls likely over Kerala from October 20 and likely to continue for subsequent 3-4 days, it added.
Before leaving for Kokkayar in Idukki to coordinate rescue mission, Minister Rajan said the rescue operations were going on at various places as the rains had subdued in the State.
Earlier, an Army team arrived at the tragedy hit sites and launched a search operation for the missing persons.
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