Three bodies were recovered after six persons went missing following a landslip at Naalam Block, Paingotoor panchayat, near Kothamangalam on Friday evening.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. Two of the deceased were identified as Ouseph, 65, of Vattakunnel, and Madhu. The body of a woman could not be identified. Two women, Leela and Nalini, and a man Eipe were reported missing. Another person Narayanan, 60, collapsed and died on seeing the landslip.
Seven houses were damaged in the incident. Rescue and relief operations were hampered because of rain, darkness, slushy terrain, and difficulty in accessing the area. Three excavators were engaged in clearing the debris. It was tough for other vehicles to reach the area. The police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel were aiding the rescue operations. High-power lights had been installed in the area, to locate the people who were trapped beneath the mud and debris.
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District Collector Sheik Pareeth was among those who reached the area, to supervise the recue work. People living in the area have been asked to move to safer locations considering the possibility of fresh landslips.
Navy team
A team of 15 Naval personnel from the Southern Naval Command, led by Sub Lt. Jithu, have been dispatched to carry out rescue and relief works.
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Help desk
The Oriental Insurance Company has opened a help desk to render assistance to people seeking its help in getting insurance and compensation. Since the three days beginning Saturday are holidays, the phone numbers to be contacted are 96450 91540 and 94471 15518.