Eight persons died in rain-related incidents between Friday and Saturday in Kerala as heavy downpour triggered landslides and flash floods, reported The Hindu.

Four fishermen from Thiruvananthapuram district and two from Kollam were also missing. Two residents of Kannur had also gone missing after falling into a river, according to the newspaper.

The search operations are ongoing.

Among those who died are two children – three-year-old Abdul Muhaini and four-year-old Adam Ayman. They drowned after falling into a swollen stream in Malappuram.

Another child, 11-year-old Milan K Shinu, died after falling into a waterlogged pit dug for a Jal Jeevan Mission project, reported The Hindu.

The mission is a Union government scheme launched in 2019 to provide piped water connections and safe drinking water to all rural households.

In Idukki’s Thodupuzha, 69-year-old Sumanthi was killed after her home in Kudayathoor panchayat was buried due to a landslide. In the district’s Kolahalamedu, 72-year-old Prabhakaran Nair died when a mudslide struck his house.

In Kottayam’s Kaippally, 28-year-old Josephin Johny and his 48-year-old mother Regina Johny were buried under debris after a landslide triggered by heavy rains caused part of the hillside adjoining their home to collapse.

One death due to electrocution was reported from Wayanad.

Chief Minister VD Satheeshan has announced that financial assistance would be provided to families of those killed and to persons who lost homes, farms or livelihoods due to the rains.

Heavy rains in Gujarat

Gujarat also received heavy rains from Friday to Saturday, leading to authorities issuing flood alerts in five districts, reported The Indian Express.

Overnight rainfall led to flooding in Vadodara district and nearby areas. Rescue teams evacuated around 150 persons, including 140 students, from a hostel near Waghodia, where they were stranded in waist-deep water, according to the newspaper.

In Narmada district, seven gates of the Karjan Dam were opened due to heavy rainfall in the catchment area. Fifteen to 20 downstream villages were on alert after around 82,100 cusecs of water, including hydropower discharge, was released into the Karjan river.

Bharuch district was also on high alert, with authorities closing 15 roads as heavy rain caused several causeways to overflow.

In Kheda district, heavy rain since caused the Shedhi river to flow above danger level. The authorities have advised residents along the riverbanks to remain alert.

Edited by Sneha.

Also read: Deluge with monsoon deficit is India’s new climate normal

We welcome your comments at letters@scroll.in.