Eight Dead, 13 Injured, Several Missing in Kerala Rain-Related Incidents

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — At least eight people have died, 13 have been injured and eight remain missing after torrential rain triggered landslides, flash floods and widespread waterlogging across Kerala, the state government said on Sunday, as rescue teams pressed on with search operations in the worst-hit districts.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said the toll came from rain-related incidents on Saturday, when incessant rain that began on Friday night unleashed landslides, mudslides and flooding, causing extensive damage to property and livelihoods. In a statement, his office said 27 houses had been completely destroyed and 196 partially damaged, while 5,792 people had been moved to 209 relief camps set up across the state.

Three children and two women were among the dead. Two boys, aged three and four, died after falling into a swollen stream in Malappuram, while an 11-year-old boy died after falling into a water-filled pit in Kottayam district. A 69-year-old woman was killed when a landslip buried her home near Thodupuzha, and three others died in landslides in the hilly areas near Vagamon and in Kottayam. Separately, the body of a fisherman who went missing after his boat capsized near Muthalappozhy was recovered on Sunday morning.

The government assured financial assistance to the families of those killed and to people who had lost their homes and livelihoods, and called on political workers and voluntary organisations to join relief and clean-up efforts. Satheesan urged continued vigilance, particularly in hilly areas, noting that while the intensity of the rain had eased, preparations were in place to deal with any eventuality.

According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), parts of the state received up to 320mm of rain on Saturday, with the highest recorded in the Ayyankunnu area of Kannur district. Low-lying and riverside areas in Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Wayanad, Kottayam, Kozhikode and Kannur were inundated, with water entering homes. The authority said nine National Disaster Response Force teams had been deployed alongside fire and civil defence volunteers, and that the rainfall situation was improving, though rain could reactivate around August 7.

The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for 12 districts — Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod — with only Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam free of weather warnings. Several district administrations declared a holiday for educational institutions, and officials cautioned that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continue. This is a developing story and will be updated.