KOCHI: The intensity of rain lessened across Kerala on Sunday, after four days of copious downpour and landslides leaving death and destruction in their trail, but the misery continued for the flood-hit people. The death toll has climbed to 72 and 50-odd people are still missing.
Clouds are expected to be clear in the next couple of days with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority predicting no 'red alert' though 'orange alert' has been issued for six districts -- Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Idukki -- for Monday. The Kochi airport, which had been closed since Thursday evening, resumed operations on Sunday while most of the rail tracks and roads were opened for traffic.
READ MORE | Forecast brings hope to rain-battered Kerala
However, hundreds of people have been rendered homeless in the rain havoc. A total of 1,639 relief camps are sheltering nearly 2.5 lakh people across the state. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, meanwhile, asked the public not to be swayed by fake reports that the CM's Relief Fund was being misused. "The government views such fake messages as a heinous crime against the state and its people. Only anti-socials can do such a thing,’’ he told media persons in Thiruvananthapuram.
Hope is running out at Kavalappara in Malappuram, where an entire hill came down like a pack of cards on Friday, as the rescue workers are still to find about 50 missing people and it is feared that almost all of them may be buried under the huge pile of mud. A total of 12 bodies have been recovered so far from the site.
"A private function was being hosted at the residence of an army personnel in Kavalappara. No one knows the exact number of people attending the event. But, there should be at least 50 people," said a villager.
The situation is not different at Puthumala in Meppadi in Wayanad, where 100 acres of tea plantation along with a mosque, temple and the canteen of the plantation company were swept away in a landslide on Thursday evening. One more body was recovered on Sunday while eight people are still missing.
Vaniyampuzha in Malappuram was the focal point on Sunday with reports saying nearly 150 people were marooned, and rescue efforts were on to move the people to safety throughout the day. At the time of going to the press, nearly 75 people have been shifted out by the rescue workers, who include personnel from the Army and Navy.
Panic spread in Kainakari in Alappuzha after bunds breached, destroying 550 acres of paddy. The district administration evacuated 65 families to relief camps in the evening as the water level rose fast in the village.