The death toll following floods and landslides in Kerala on Monday climbed up to 27 as more bodies were recovered from under the debris at Koottickal in Kottayam district and Kokkayar in the neighboring Idukki district.
As the rain abated and rescue operations resumed in Kokkayar, the body of seven-year-old Sachu Shahul was the last to be found on early Monday morning.
According to the latest reports, there have been deaths by drowning in Kozhikode, Thrissur, and Palakkad districts. On Saturday, two people drowned when the car they were traveling in was swept away by floodwaters in the Kanjar area of the Idukki district.
Meanwhile, The Indian Express reported that an orange alert was sounded at the Idukki dam at 7 am Monday after the water level in the reservoir touched 2396.86 ft. The full reservoir level is 2403 ft. Ernakulam collector Jafar Malik said in a Facebook post that the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), which manages the dam and generates power from it, has conveyed that the water level in the dam is likely to touch the red alert level of 2397.86 ft by Monday evening and the upper rule level of 2398.86 ft by Tuesday morning.
The IMD has declared a code yellow alert in 11 of the 14 districts on Wednesday and rainfall is expected to resume from Wednesday again, courtesy of a fresh spell of the easterly wave which is likely to affect parts of southern India.
Revenue Minister K Rajan has made it clear that with more rain predicted in the state in the forthcoming days, pilgrims cannot be allowed to enter the Sabarimala temple for the festivities associated with the Thulam month. Those stationed in the base camp of Nilakkal must return home, he requested.
