Death toll rises to 92 in rain-battered Kerala

More heavy rainfall forecast for 48 hours

Waiting for his master’s voice: Shivan Pallath’s pet has been waiting for him at the site where his house stood at Kavalappara, near Nilambur. Shivan and his five-member family are feared trapped under a huge layer of mud unleashed by last Thursday’s landslip. The body of Shivan’s father was recovered on Monday.

The death toll in rain-related incidents in Kerala went up to 92 on Tuesday, even as the southwest monsoon again showed signs of intensifying over Kerala, sparking fears of fresh flooding.

The India Meteorology Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rainfall warning for eight districts for Wednesday. According to a bulletin issued by the weather office on Tuesday evening, the low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal is likely to become more marked during the next 48 hours, triggering widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy falls at some places in Kerala.

A red alert indicating the likelihood of extremely heavy rainfall (above 204.4 mm) has been issued for Malappuram and Kozhikode while an orange alert indicating isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall (64.5 to 204.4 mm) is in place for Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts on Wednesday.

A holiday has been declared for educational institutions in Alappuzha, Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, and Kannur on Wednesday.

Strong winds likely

Strong winds and rough seas are also likely along and off the coast of Kerala and Karnataka and the Lakshadweep areas till Thursday. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea.

By Tuesday evening, 2,24,506 persons were shifted from flood-hit places to 1,243 relief camps across the State.

As many as 1,057 houses were destroyed and 11,142 damaged. According to official figures, 34 persons were injured and 61 reported missing in various incidents as on Tuesday.

CM visits sites

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan, accompanied by senior officials, visited the flood-ravaged areas in Wayanad and Malappuram. The team comprising Chief Secretary Tom Jose, Additional Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta, State Police Chief Loknath Behera and Principal Secretary (Revenue) V. Venu made an aerial survey of the affected areas.

Mr. Vijayan also visited various relief camps in Wayanad and Malappuram areas and reviewed the relief operations.