Even as a frantic search was on in Kavalappara in Malappuram following a landslide, 63 people including 20 children are feared trapped, according to reports. Nine bodies have been found so far, and rescue operations are still on.
Asianet reported that nine people were found dead in Puthumala in Wayanad underneath the mass of earth due to the landslide, and eight people are to be traced. The attempt to use soil removing machines for rescue operations has not been fully successful yet due to difficult terrain.
The death toll in the Kerala rains rose to 57 as of 9 pm on Saturday. However, the people who are feared trapped due to a landslide in Kavalappara (Malappuram) and Puthumala (Wayanad) are yet to be traced. A total of 55,749 families and 1,96,583 people are in relief camps across the state. 80 landslides occurred in the state in eight districts in two days.
A red warning has been issued for Kannur, Kasargod and Wayanad districts for Sunday.
As per official reports, the death toll stands at 19 in Malappuram, 14 in Kozhikode and 10. in Wayanad. Five people died in Kannur, four in Idukki, three in Thrissur and two in Alappuzha.
However, according to unofficial reports, the death toll is higher — at 61.
Officials stated that 1,392 camps have been opened between August 8 and 10, with the highest number of camps in Kozhikode at 310, followed by Malappuram at 226 and Wayanad at 197. 149 relief camps have been opened in Thrissur, 133 in Ernakulam, 91 in Kannur, 94 in Kottayam and 44 in Pathanamthitta.
As transportation to regions in Wayanad and Malappuram is tough, the supply of materials to the camps was affected. Medicines had to be airdropped on Saturday.
On Saturday, the waters began to recede in Malappuram and Wayanad. Although the shutters of the Banasura Sagar dam in Wayanad were opened on Saturday, less water was released and as the water in the catchment area of the dam had receded, the situation was not worsened by the opening of the dam’s gates.