At least 10 people have been killed after heavy rains pounded India’s Kerala state causing landslides and flooding. Torrential rains since Saturday led state authorities to request the help of the Indian military for rescue and relief operations.
Ten people died and 11 were still missing in the worst-hit districts of Idukki and Kottayam, state-run broadcaster All India Radio reported.
Among the missing were five children. The intensity of the rain had reduced in most parts of Kerala by Sunday morning after continuous rain overnight. “The situation is really serious in some parts of the state. We will do everything possible to save lives. We have sought help from the army, navy, and air force.
Relief camps have been set up in the districts,” state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times daily.
The unseasonal rains – coming after the monsoon season – were caused by a low-pressure system over the adjoining Arabian Sea. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force were also deployed for relief and rescue operations. The state’s main pilgrimage at the prominent Sabarimala shrine was postponed in view of the weather. India’s weather office has forecast light to moderate showers in the region over the next 24-48 hours.
