The toll due to heavy rainfall and landslides in Kerala increased to 12 after six more deaths were recorded on Tuesday, The New Indian Express reported.
Three persons died due to landslides in Kannur and one death each was reported in Kottayam, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram districts.
Three persons are missing. Of these, two are fishermen from Chavakkad in Thrissur district and one person is a resident of Kollam city, reported The New Indian Express.
Around 2,291 residents have been shifted to 102 relief camps in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Malappuram, Wayanad and Kannur.
Twenty-seven houses have been destroyed due to the heavy downpour since Sunday. Of these, 18 are in the Kannur district.
Red alert withdrawn across the state
The India Meteorological Department on Wednesday withdrew the red alert, which it had issued two days ago, for the state. It issued an orange alert in the districts of Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Kannur.
An orange alert warns of very heavy rain and the authorities are asked to stay prepared to tackle adverse situations.
A yellow alert has been issued in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kasaragod districts warning of heavy rain.
According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, the water level in Thiruvananthapuram’s Karamana and Neyyar rivers is receding, but in Vamanapuram, it is rising.
“Water levels in the Achankovil, Kaliyar, Thodupuzha and Meenachil rivers are increasing,” the chief minister’s office said on Tuesday, reported The New Indian Express. “People living on their banks must be vigilant. Efforts are on to rehabilitate them.”
The chief minister has directed Chief Secretary VP Joy to monitor the water levels in dams.
Sabarimala pilgrims have been asked to not venture into the Pamba river, Idukki District Collector Divya S Iyer said.
Nine teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in Idukki, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Thrissur, Malappuram, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kollam and Pathanamthitta.
In addition, two units of the Defence Security Corps have been stationed in Kannur and Palakkad. Military personnel are stationed in Thiruvananthapuram.
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