by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

NEW DELHI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Search for the 47 people missing in India's southern state of Kerala after a massive landslide buried them has entered into the second straight day, local officials said Saturday.

Rescuers have so far retrieved 19 bodies from the debris.

"So far 19 bodies have been retrieved and search is underway," H Dineshan, district collector told Xinhua over the telephone from Idukki district. "Yesterday our teams rescued 12 persons alive and hospitalised them. Since then no person has been found alive."

"As of now, there is no trace of 47 people who are missing in the landslide," Dineshan said. "Despite all odds, our rescue teams from fire and emergency service besides a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on the spot carrying searches under the debris."

Rescue efforts are underway in the area despite heavy downpours, foggy weather conditions and the fear of new landslides.

The landslide was triggered by heavy rains on Friday morning in Rajmala area of Idukki district, about 287 km north of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala.

According to the officials, 78 people (mostly tea estate workers) were inside their settlements when the landslide buried them.

The area has been witnessing heavy rains for the past four days, which uprooted trees, boulders, and inundated the settlement area, making it difficult for rescuers to approach the area.

Survivors told officials that water gushed into the housing settlements followed by heaps of mud and rocks, making it impossible for inmates to run away.

A bridge connecting it to the outside world was also washed away. On Friday the area was cut off as torrential rains inundated several areas and increased the water level in the river.

The low-lying areas of the district like Munnar, a popular tourist destination has been flooded, because of rising water levels of the Muthirapuzha River.

Rains in other parts especially Wayanad have also inundated several areas leading to a flood-like situation in parts of Kerala.

The meteorological department officials on Saturday said rainfall was likely to continue over Kerala.

The local government has announced financial assistance of 6,663 U.S. dollars to each of the families that lost a member in the landslide. Besides this, the government will bear the treatment expenses of all injured in the incident.

The ongoing monsoon season in India is at its peak. The downpour accompanied with it has triggered floods in several Indian states.

The monsoon season starts from June and lasts until September. Every year it wreaks havoc across South Asia including India. Enditem

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