80 people are feared to be trapped after a massive landslide hit Rajamala in Kerala's Munnar district on Friday morning. Ten people have been rescued, while five people have died.
According to officials, the landslide happened in a remote area that is hard to reach.
The intense rain and waterlogging in the area are deterring rescue operations.
Several of those who are trapped are presumably tea estate workers.
#idukki #rains pic.twitter.com/37ZBEeBoNa
— Vaisakh Aryan (@aryan_vaisakh) August 7, 2020
Rescue officials are struggling to reach the site of the accident, as some roads have washed out in the flooding that precipitated the landslide.
An NDRF team has been deployed to rescue the landslide victims in Rajamalai, Idukki.
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) August 7, 2020
Police, Fire Force, Forest & Revenue officials have been instructed to join the rescue efforts.
Another team of NDRF, based in Thrissur, will soon reach Idukki.#KeralaRains
For the last three days, several parts of the state have been inundated by monsoon rains.