India
According to sources,80 tea estate workers are reportedly trapped in the area.
Updated : Aug 07, 2020, 01:48 PM IST | Edited by : Arijit Saha
At least five people were killed, and many feared trapped after a landslide initiated by torrential rains swept through a residential area in Rajamala of Kerala's Idukki district on Friday (August 7).
According to sources,80 tea estate workers are reportedly trapped in the area.
Here is the video of the landslide as taken by ANI:
#WATCH 5 dead in landslide in Idukki's Rajamala, #Kerala; 10 rescued so far
— ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2020
Kerala CM has requested assistance from Indian Air Force for the rescue operation. pic.twitter.com/yWmwXHUxEz
Superintendent of Police, Idukki said that the landslide occurred at a place where tea plantation workers reside and as many as three families are stranded there.
Uptil now, 10 people have been rescued from danger.
"National Disaster Response Force has been deployed to rescue the landslide victims in Idukki's Rajamala. Police, fire, forest and revenue officials also instructed to intensify rescue operation," Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
A 50-member strong special task force team of the fire Force has also been dispatched to Rajamalai in Idukki for rescue efforts, he added.
The chief minister of the state has also requested Indian Air Force (IAF) for the rescue operation.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in Idukki, Malappuram and Wayanad districts of the state.
The alert for 'extremely heavy rainfall' has been issued till August 11.