Pained by loss of lives due to landslide in Kerala’s Idukki, says PM Modi

Kerala landslide has killed at least 15 people so far and several others are feared trapped.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his grief at the loss of lives in the landslide in Kerala that has resulted in 15 casualties so far with continuing search for another 53 missing people. The PM said his thoughts are with the bereaved families.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that relief and rescue operation is on at the site of the landslide in Kerala.(Mohd Zakir/HT PHOTO/file)

“Pained by loss of lives due to landslide in Rajamalai, Idukki. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. NDRF and the administration are working on the ground, providing assistance to the affected,” the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister’s office also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured in the incident.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier today confirmed that a team of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) was engaged in rescue efforts to pull out people feared trapped in the debris left by the massive landslide triggered by torrential rains.

Most of the people feared trapped in the thick mass of mud and debris could be from settlements of tea estate workers caught in the landslide early Friday morning. The settlements are not very far from the hill resort of Munnar, which was ravaged by the flood two years ago in 2018.

Police, fire department, forest and revenue officials have also joined the rescue efforts while another team of NDRF had been dispatched for Idukki.

It is feared that residents, sleeping at their homes, were caught unawares and had no opportunity to escape. Authorities said that at least 84 people lived in the settlement.

The area has been witnessing heavy rains over the last three days and power and communication networks in the area were disrupted due to the downpour.

The weather department has flashed a red alert predicting extremely heavy rainfall in Idukki, Malappuram and Wayanad districts and an orange alert in five other districts in Kerala.