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One person died after an unexpected flash flood hit Kottappuzha at TK Colony in Pookkottumpadam around 5 pm on Sunday. Around seven people, including tourists and a local woman, are feared to have been swept away, according to preliminary information.
The body of a man, aged around 50, was recovered from the river at Muttikkund in Pottikkallu. His body was shifted to the District Hospital, while a search is continuing for others feared missing. A large number of tourists were present at various locations along the river, from Olarvattom Canal to T.K. Colony, which are popular tourist spots. As it was a holiday, hundreds of people had gathered at Kettungal, Aanakkundu, Balawadippadi and other areas along the Koyipra foothills. After the water level suddenly rose, around 27 people who were stranded in the middle of the river were rescued by local residents and members of the Muhammad Suhail Treatment Aid Committee. However, several people remained stranded at different locations for a long time as they were unable to reach safety. Four people from Chokkad are reportedly stranded on rocks and trees near the Anganwadi. Rescue efforts are underway to evacuate them. Police, Fire and Rescue Services personnel, volunteers and residents are continuing rescue operations for those stranded in the river. A search operation is also underway for those feared to have been swept away in the flash flood. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rainfall alert, with seven districts, including Thiruvananthapuram and Idukki, under a yellow alert for Sunday. Isolated heavy rainfall of up to 115.5 mm is expected over a 24-hour period. An orange alert has also been issued for Idukki and Kottayam districts. Meanwhile, in Gangtok, Sikkim, continuous heavy downpours have triggered a series of destructive landslides, mudflows, and road blockages across the Gangtok district, prompting an intensive damage assessment by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Gangtok, has initiated an intensive damage assessment across the district following a series of landslides and rain-related incidents triggered by ongoing heavy rainfall. (ANI)
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