IDUKKI: Heavy rain that has been lashing the district for the past few days has thrown life out of gear. According to authorities, many people scrambled for higher ground as torrential rain swept away houses and triggered landslides in various parts of Idukki on Thursday, leaving three dead, including a child.
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In a mudslide at Chinnakkanal near Chancellor Resort, at least three persons were injured and a one-year-old child died after the girl was trapped under the mud and boulders which fell on the house on Estate Lane in which they were staying.
While others ran out of the house, the helpless child was trapped under the debris. The deceased is Manjusree, daughter of Rajesekhar and Nithya, who are natives of Tamil Nadu. The body was recovered by the police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel using an earthmover. It has been kept at the Rajakumari Primary Health Centre mortuary.
Three migrant workers - Surjith, 18, Sagar, 18 and Madardeep, 21, - who were also staying on estate lane suffered minor injuries in the mudslide. In another incident, an elderly woman drowned at Marayur after she was caught in the currents of the gushing river. The deceased is Jyothy Ammal, 71, wife of Chellaswami of Vaguvara in Marayur.
Meanwhile, a migrant worker who was seriously injured after an uprooted tree fell on his estate lane house at Velliyamattam on Tuesday, was declared dead at Medical Mission Hospital, Kolencherry, where he was admitted on Thursday. The deceased is Madhu Krishani, 26, son of Samara Krishani of Jalahanjar in Koraput district of Odisha.
The body was sent to his hometown after conducting a post-mortem at the Medical College Hospital, Ernakulam. Krishani came to Idukki 15 days ago to work in a private pineapple plantation in Velliyamattam. He is survived by his wife and child. In another rain-related mishap, Jobin, 30, of Kozhippadan House in Vattayar, was injured after an uprooted tree fell on him.
Meanwhile, Hameed of Puthanvilayil House, Gandhi Nagar, was injured in a mudslide. Hameed was later rescued by local residents and rushed to Thodupuzha District Hospital.In a landslide at VT Padi near Kunthalampara, the residence of Radhakrishnan of Madhavam House was flattened.
Landslides
Peermade, Idukki and Devikulam taluks in the district suffered maximum damage in the heavy rain on Thursday with multiple landslides destroying houses and washing away bridges and roads.