MALAPPURAM: The devastating landslide was a bolt from the blue for residents of Boothanam Colony near Kavalappara. Though the authorities issued an alert and asked residents to evacuate the area, they did not pay heed to the warning. Most people chose to stay in their houses, assuming that the scene would be similar to last year when there was no landslide despite a warning.
Rafeek, 32, Poovakadan house, said his neighbour Kareem and family did not get the time to escape when the landslide occurred.
“Kareem was talking to his wife and a friend when a big chunk of the hill nearby caved in and came tumbling down, flattening their house,” said Rafeek, who spent the night on Thursday on another hill quite far away with his family as he feared there could be more landslides.
Even people who had come to the colony to convince residents about the need to evacuate were trapped under the debris.
“Jayan and his friend went to the colony to meet people and tell them about the need to shift to safer ground. Jayan was injured in the landslide but his friend is still missing,” said a resident.
Six more bodies were recovered from the area on Saturday.
The deceased are Santhosh Kumar, Valakath House; Mathirikkulam Mohamad’ s wife Fousia, 40; his daughter nicknamed Thumpi, 8; Mathi, 75; Chelari Gopi’s daughter, Prajitha, 13; and Poothani Muhamadali’s daughter Abitha.
With three more deaths reported on Friday, the death toll has reached nine. Malappuram district police chief Abdul Kareem said rescue operations were being carried out at specific spots in the landslide area.
The water level in Idukki reservoir was 2336.66 ft on Saturday at 1 pm. The catchment areas of the dam recorded 32.4 mm rainfall on Saturday.
The average rainfall recorded in Idukki on Saturday was 48.372 mm, with Devikulam recording the highest of 94.6 mm. Idukki, Peermade, Thodupuzha and Udumbanchola recorded 32.4mm, 67 mm, 38.06 mm and 9.8 mm of rainfall, respectively.