Scores of people walked kilometres crossing the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, to reach the disaster struck Pettimudi in Idukki, in search of their loved ones. But their hopes turned into despair as the rescue workers on Monday pulled out six more bodies that were buried under the landslide, most of whom are children.
On Monday, the rescue workers discovered the bodies of four children viz. 14-year-old Vinodhini, Rajalakshmi (12), Joshua (13), Vijaylakshmi (8) and two adults; Pratheesh (32) and Veluthayi (58), from the shores of the river, located adjacent to the disaster struck spot. It is suspected that many people might have been washed away into the river when the huge chunks of land fell on top of their layams or line houses, during the landslide. With this, the total death toll in the disaster has gone up to 49.
“Yesterday (Sunday) also, we discovered three bodies from the river shore. It is expected that more people could be found along the river,” an officer heading the rescue works in Pettimudi told Manorama News.
It was in the wee hours of Friday that the major landslide struck. Houses of the families, all estate workers at the Kannan Devan Hills Plantation Company, living in four layams, were buried under the landslide. Eight out of the 49 people who have been discovered dead so far, are children.
Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that multiple government agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, Fire and Rescue, and Police were actively involved in the rescue operations at the site.
The Forest Department and Rapid Action Force personnel were also active in the search and rescue operations being carried out in an area of 16 km on both sides of the Pettimudi river, he said.
This is the third year in a row that Kerala has been experiencing monsoon-related disasters in August, but it has taken all possible precautions to deal with the ongoing heavy rains, the CM said.
Meanwhile, the rescue operations to find more missing people in the landslide continued on Tuesday. According to reports, 21 people including 16 children are still missing.
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