The submerged Shiva temple at Aluva
Incessant rains in Kerala have submerged the famous Shiva temple at Aluva, where thousands of people were expected to gather today for a religious ritual. The devotees were forced to perform the ritual, Bali Tharpanam, at temporary sheds put up by the state administration near the temple, 27 km from Kochi.
Flights at the Kochi airport, closed for 24 hours, resumed in the afternoon today. The airport was shut down on Monday after water flooded the runway and the parking bay. 126 flights were cancelled yesterday affecting nearly 11,000 passengers.
The incessant rain since Saturday and subsequent landslides have claimed at least 14 lives in the state so far. Officials say more casualties are expected. A force of almost 350 men has been deployed to speed up relief and rescue operations. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy undertook an aerial survey of the landslide-affected areas today.
Cheerapara in Idukki district, famous for its waterfalls, is a sad tale of destruction after the massive landslide. Nearly 60 men in uniform out of 150 deployed here have been working their way down into a deep gorge to rescue possible survivors and recover bodies. No survivors have been found till now and with the passing hours, chances only seem bleak.
Overseeing his men work in this rough terrain, Col Dushyant Jolly, the officer leading the army team says, "We've been told that almost 10-15 cars toppled into this gorge when the landslide hit this area. Almost 30 tourists were present here; so far we have recovered only 3 bodies. "
Meanwhile, traffic has been partly restored on the National Highway 49, which remained blocked until Tuesday morning. The Army, the Navy and the National Disaster Relief Force have been brought in for rescue operations. 20,000 people were moved to relief camps yesterday in Idukki and Ernakulum.