19 deaths due to heavy rains and landslides in Kerala, India

As torrential rains swept through the villages and flooded roads, the hardest-hit areas of Kotayam and Iduki suffered deadly mudslides.

In the southern Indian state of Kerala, torrential rains hit villages and flooded roads, killing at least 19 people in one day.

According to the Indian News Agency, officials said that rescuers found bodies in the two worst-hit areas, Kotayam and Iduki, where heavy downpours triggered large-scale landslides.

As many people are still missing, the National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Army deployed teams to help rescue operations.

On Saturday, when the heavy rains started, television reports showed people wading through chest-deep water to rescue passengers from a bus that was almost flooded by flooding the road.

State Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (Pinarayi Vijayan) on Sunday urged residents to be extra cautious even if the heavy rains have subsided. He added that more than 100 relief camps have been established.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had talked with the chief minister and added that the authorities are working to rescue those affected. “I pray for the safety and well-being of everyone,” he said in a tweet.

Sadly, some people in Kerala lost their lives due to heavy rains and landslides. Express condolences to the families of the victims.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 17, 2021

According to media reports, more than a dozen people are missing in Iduki, some of whom are children.

“After heavy rains and floods, we have been monitoring the situation in parts of Kerala. The central government will provide all possible support to help those in need. The National Disaster Response Force has been dispatched to assist in rescue operations. For everyone Pray for the safety of the country,” Federal Minister of the Interior Amit Shah said on Twitter.

The non-seasonal rainfall after the monsoon season is caused by the low pressure system adjacent to the Arabian Sea. The state’s main pilgrimage to the famous Sabari Mara Shrine was postponed.

The Bureau of Meteorology of India predicts that there will be light to moderate rain in the area in the next 24 to 48 hours.

In 2018, Kerala suffered catastrophic floods during the downpour during the monsoon season, killing 223 people and leaving hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

On Saturday, members of the rescue team in Kerala, India, carried the bodies of victims of flash floods [Appu S Narayanan/AFP]