Kerala landslide: PM Modi, Amit Shah express grief over deaths, PMO announces ex-gratia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his grief over the death of at least 15 people due to a rainfall-triggered landslide in Kerala's Idukki district early on Friday.

On Twitter, PM Modi condoled the deaths and prayed for the quick recovery of those injured. He said that the National Disaster Relief Force and the administration are working on the ground and providing assistance to the affected.

The Prime Minister's Office in a tweet announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the PM National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured.

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Tragedy at tea workers’ settlement

At least 15 people have been killed and over 50 others are feared trapped in a mound of slush and rock debris after a massive landslide razed a tea plantation workers’ settlement in Rajakkad in Idukki in the early hours of Friday. 

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the NDRF has been deployed in Rajamala to rescue the landslide victims. Police, firemen, and forest officials were also instructed to intensify rescue operations, the CM said.

Idukki authorities said that over a dozen people were rescued and rushed to the hospital while expressing concern over heavy downpour and foggy climate in the area hampering rescue operations. 

The area has been witnessing heavy rains over the last three days and power and communication networks in the area were disrupted due to the downpour. As the heavy spells continued for the third day in Kerala, the India Meteorological Department sounded a 'red alert' for the hilly districts — Wayanad and Idukki — for Thursday and Malappuram district on Friday.

Amit Shah, Governor react

Other than PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan also shared grief over the incident. Shah said that he is in touch with the NDRF and the force has sent a team for rescue operations there.

READ | Kerala Rains: Major Landslide Kills 5 Residents In Idukki, Dozens Feared Trapped

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