Kerala flood death toll rises to 23 as rescuers enter worst-affected areas

South Indian state lashed by heavy rain for three days running

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  An Indian man clears mud from his home after heavy rain hits Kottayam in Kerala, causing a landslide. EPA

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  Rescue work gets under way. EPA

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  A car was completely destroyed by the landslide in the town of Manimala. EPA

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  Rescuers search for bodies in Koottickal, southern Kerala. AP

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  Many homes were destroyed in the area. EPA

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  A man clears the sludge in Manimala. EPA

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  Men stand near the flooded river in Manimala. EPA

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  Destruction can be seen all around Kerala. EPA

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  A house is swept away in Kottayam. Reuters

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  A house damaged by heavy rains in Kottayam. Reuters

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  Trees and debris strewn outside a damaged house in Kottayam. Reuters

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  Rescue workers carry the body of a victim, recovered from a house swept by a landslide at Kokkayar village, in Idukki district. Reuters

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  Rescue workers push an overturned vehicle stuck in the debris at the site of a landslide caused by heavy rains in Kokkayar. AFP

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  A car is stuck after flash floods caused by heavy rains in Thodupuzha. AFP

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  A resident carries a dog from the debris after his house was destroyed by flash floods in Thodupuzha. AFP

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  A bird perches on a tree as rain clouds cover the sky in Kochi. AP

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  A man holds an umbrella and watches his grazing cows in Kochi. AP

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  An Indian navy helicopter on the way to distribute relief material to flood-affected people in Kottayam district. AP

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  Scenes after a landslide triggered by heavy rains in the Western Ghats mountains in Koottickal, Kottayam district. AP

The death toll from flash floods and landslides in India's southern state of Kerala rose to 23 on Sunday as heavy rain poured down for a third day.

Rescue workers retrieved more bodies, most of them from Kottayam and Idukki districts, on Sunday afternoon when the rain had partially subsided in several parts of the state.

“We can confirm 23 deaths in rain-related incidents in the last 24 hours,” said T Sathi Kumar, an official at the state's Information and Public Relations Department.

“Ten bodies were recovered from Koottikkal in Kottayam and eight bodies have been recovered from Kokayyar in Idukki on Sunday. Four of them were children. The other bodies are recovered from several parts of the state,” he told The National.

Three people died in Kottayam district on Saturday when their houses were washed away, while two drowned in Idukki.

Officials said earlier that at least 20 people were missing in the state after extremely heavy rainfall since Friday night, caused by a low pressure area over the Arabian Sea.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the victims' families and assured people of assistance.

“It is unfortunate that a few lives were lost in heavy rains and landslides in Kerala. Condolences to the families of the deceased," Mr Modi wrote on Twitter.

“Authorities are working on the ground to assist the injured and affected. I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being."

The heavy rains triggered landslides and swelled many rivers across the state. Roads were swept away, houses were damaged and trees uprooted. Several villages in hilly areas were cut off.

Videos shared on social media showed a flash flood barrelling into the town of Erattupetta in southern Kerala. Another clip showed a house disappearing into a river that overflowed into its backyard.

Authorities said the worst-affected areas were Kottayam and Idukki, which received 164.5 millimetres and 305.5mm of rainfall, respectively, since Saturday morning.

The situation in the districts was so bad that emergency teams could not operate there on Saturday, Kerala Revenue Minister K Rajan said.

"I have not seen something like this before. Yesterday the rescue teams couldn't even enter the districts but the rescue work started this morning,” he told The National.

Eleven teams from the National Disaster Relief Force and the armed forces joined the rescue and relief effort. Indian Navy helicopters were dropping food parcels to stranded people.

Although the rain abated on Sunday, the threat of landslides, flooding and rivers overflowing persists.

The level of many rivers was rising above the danger mark as authorities began releasing water from at least seven dams. Residents of low-lying areas along river banks were shifted to safer places.

“More than 2,000 people would be rehabilitated and shifted to different relief camps, one dedicated to Covid-19 positive patients,” Mr Rajan said.

The government asked devotees not to visit the Sabarimala Temple, the state's most revered Hindu place of worship, on Monday.

The temple is situated on a hilltop amid dense forest and surrounded by the Pamba River, which is overflowing. It opened to devotees for monthly prayer rituals on Saturday.

Rain is common in the state at this time but its intensity has grown in recent years. In 2018, widespread flooding triggered by heavy rainfall affected large parts of the state and left about 500 people dead.