Heavy rains have been battering Kerala triggering landslips and floods which has left many dead in the State. Five districts including Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki and Thrissur were put on red alert.
The heavy rain and landslides were also reported to have caused flash floods. Floodwaters have entered a number of houses and wreaked havoc across the State.
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Some houses located on the banks of the Pullakayar river were destroyed with the water level rising upto 15 feet. Several persons were left homeless in Koottickal where torrents of mud, water and debris swept away entire homes.
The water level in Idukki dam has been rising rapidly and the district authorities have declared an orange alert. The government has banned fishing off the coast of Kerala.
National Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed in various districts. The Army has been deployed in Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam. The Indian Air Force has flown in two helicopters to the Thiruvananthapuram Air Force Station for rescue operations.
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