Roundup: Rescuers retrieve 53 bodies from Indian landslide as search for missing continues
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, August 12, 2020
by Peerzada Arshad Hamid
NEW DELHI, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers in India's southern state of Kerala have so far retrieved 53 bodies from the debris of a massive landslide that buried a settlement of tea estate workers, officials said Wednesday.
"We are being told 82 people were there in the settlement when it was buried under a massive landslide. So far 53 bodies have been retrieved and 12 people were rescued alive," H Dineshan, district collector told Xinhua over the telephone from Idukki district. "Search for the remaining 17 is going on in full swing."
The landslide was triggered by heavy rains last Friday morning in Rajmala area of Idukki district, about 287 km north of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala.
According to the officials, incessant rains uprooted trees and boulders, besides inundating the settlement area.
The workers were buried alive, and the foggy weather condition coupled with a heavy downpour at that time made it difficult for rescuers to approach the area quickly to carry out the rescue work.
Survivors told officials that as heavy rains triggered landslide, the water gushed into the housing settlements followed by heaps of mud and rocks, making it impossible for them to run away.
Authorities have moved in earthmovers and heavy machinery to the area to carry out searches.
"A team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), personnel from fire and emergency service besides police teams and forest officials are at the spot to trace the missing bodies," Dineshan said. "Since there are least chances of survivors now, we will not leave the area until all the bodies are pulled out."
The local government has announced financial assistance of INR 500,000 (6,680 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
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)