The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued an 'Yellow Alert' in 11 districts of Kerala for heavy rainfall, which has claimed the lives of 11 people so far in the state.
The alert has been issued for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alapuzha, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram and Kozhikode districts.
The Met department said that a low-pressure area over the southeast Arabian sea and adjoining Kerala has become less marked and there is a possibility of light to moderate rainfall at many places with only isolated heavy rainfall over Kerala during the next 24 hours and further decrease thereafter.
Over the last 24 hours the state has witnessed extremely heavy rainfall and landslides due to which has claimed the lives of as many as nine people so far.
Two more bodies recovered from the site of landslide at Koottikkal in Kottayam district taking the death toll in the state to 11, according to the State's Information and Public Relations Department.
State ministers K Rajan, Roshy Augustine and VN Vasavan participated in a review meeting to assess the situation arising due to heavy rains in the state, at Mundakkayam in Kottayam this morning.
A total of 11 teams of the National Disaster Relief Teams (NDRF) have been deployed to the state in coordination with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).
A total of 33 people including eight women and seven children have been rescued so far, according to the NDRF.
Early this morning a team of the NDRF conducted a rescue operation in Kokkayar, Idukki where a landslide occurred yesterday. Rescue operations were also conducted in and around Ernakulam district and in Vaipur, RanniTaluk in Pathanamthitta district.
Indian Navy airdropped relief material at landslide-affected Koottickal in Kottayam district of the state.
A Navy Chopper with relief materials already airborne from INS Garuda towards rain-affected areas. Two Air Force Chopper Mi-17 are on standby at AF Station, Shangumugham, according to Defence PRO.
One Column of Army personnel from DSC Centre, Kannur with Engineering and Medical components arrived at Wayanad for rescue operaiton. Engineering Task Force from Bengaluru expected to arrive at Wayanad soon. A total of three columns have been deployed by the Army so far, according to the Defence PRO.
( With inputs from ANI )
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