IDUKKI: Five members of a family, including a five-year-old boy, were buried alive in a landslide triggered by heavy rain at Sangamam near Maliyekkal Colony in Kudayathoor, Idukki, in the early hours of Monday. The bodies of Soman, 53, of Chittadichalil house, his wife Shiji, 50, mother Thankamma, 70, daughter Shima, 25, and grandson Devakshith, 5, were recovered after an eight-hour search.
Residents of Kudayathoor said they, as well as those living in surrounding villages, had been on tenterhooks since Sunday night after the taluk recorded 93mm of rainfall. “We were afraid for our lives. Many of us could not sleep,” said Shajitha T P, a resident. The landslide struck around 3am. Those who survived alerted rescue workers who launched a search for the five missing persons.
Around 5am, the body of Thankamma was recovered from the debris. Devakshith’s body was found soon after. Soman’s body, found around 11am, was the last to be recovered from the debris. Revenue Minister K Rajan, who took part in the rescue operations along with Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose and District Collector Sheeba George, said Kudayathoor had never reported a landslide before. “It is an unfortunate incident,” said Rajan.
As many as 31 persons from 11 families were shifted to the camp at Government New LP School in Kudayathoor. “More people will be shifted if required,” the collector said.The bodies were taken to the taluk hospital in Thodupuzha for postmortem examination and later taken to the Family Health Centre in Kudayathoor where people from various walks of life paid tributes. Agriculture Minister P Prasadh paid his last respects at Santhitheeram public crematorium. The cremation was held at 5.30pm.
YELLOW ALERT IN 13 DISTRICTS TODAY
T’Puram: The India Meteorological Department has forecast isolated heavy rain across the state at least till Thursday. It has issued yellow alerts in all districts except Kasaragod on Tuesday and across Kerala on Wednesday. Experts warned of heavy rain in the high ranges on the southern side.