India / 5 people dead, 10 rescued after landslide in Kerala

Five people have been killed and 10 have been rescued after a landslide in Kerala's Idukki district, Kerala Police said. National Disaster Response Force has been deployed to rescue people, and police, fire, forest and revenue officials have also been instructed to intensify the rescue operation, CM Pinarayi Vijayan said. Several tea estate workers are feared trapped following the landslide.

Idukki: Many tea estate workers are feared trapped under soil in Kerala’s Munnar after torrential rains triggered a massive landslide on Friday. The area has been witnessing rains for the last three days.

According to local authorities, the incident in Idukki district happened in the early hours of Friday. Communication links to the area have been affected as the power lines have snapped in the rains.

Initial reports said four bodies have been recovered from the site and 10 people saved. At least 80 people were reportedly staying in the area, local authorities said.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has reached the area. Twenty houses of plantation workers have also been destroyed in the landslide, news agency PTI reported.

“The situation is really serious,” Revenue minister E Chandrasekaran said. The minister further said that the authorities are trying to airlift those injured.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s office said that they have contacted the Indian Air Force to provide helicopter services to Rajamala for rescue operations. It is expected to be available soon.

Meanwhile, there are also reports another landslide took place en route to Sabarimala hill temple in Pathnamthitta.

In Ernakulam district, as the water level in the Periyar river rose, the famous Shiva temple on the river bank has been almost submerged.

Shutters of various dams have also been opened causing water level in the Periyar river to rise.