Five killed in landslide at Thodupuzha; rainfall in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta

The continuing showers and the piling up of debris on the road has affected the search operations

Five members of a family were killed after a major landslide struck the Maliyekkal Colony at Kudayathoor near Thodupuzha, Idukki district, in the wee hours of Monday.

The deceased were identified as Chittadichaalil Soman, his wife Shiji and their 25-year-old daughter Shima. The other two were identified as 74-year-old Thankamma, Soman’s mother, and four-year-old Devanand, Shima’s son. The dead bodies were found trapped under the debris.

The bodies that were recovered from the site have been shifted to the Thodupuzha taluk hospital for autopsy while the fire and rescue personnel continue with the search operations at the site. The continuing showers and the piling up of debris on the road, however, has affected the pace of the mission.

Meanwhile, a team of the National Disaster response force is soon set to reach the location. Revenue minister K Rajan and water resources minister Roshy Augustine too are slated to visit the site during the day and review the rescue operations.

According to revenue officials, the region came under an intense spell of showers since Sunday night, leading to the landslide around 4.15 a.m on Monday.

The district administration, meanwhile, have made arrangements for shifting the remaining families in the colony to a safe location. District Police Chief V. U. Kuriakose has deployed a special team, which also comprise sniffer dogs, to carry out the search operation.

In view of the heavy rains forecast, Idukki district collector Sheeba George has declared a ban on night travel on the Puliyanmala- Thodupuzha state highway from 8 pm to 6 am.