Kerala rains: Death toll rises to 26

The death toll due to flooding and landslides in Kerala following heavy and incessant rains in rose to 26 on Friday.

According to Kerala State Emergency Operations Centre, 22 people have lost their lives due to the heavy rains and landslides till Thursday night. An ANI report on Friday morning put the toll at 26.

Among the total deaths, 11 people died in Idukki district, five in Malappuram district, three in Wayanad, two in Kannur and one in Kozhikode, a home ministry spokesperson said.

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An Inter-Ministerial Central Team of the Union government is also visiting flood-affected areas in Kerala, while Army troops are being mobilised from Bengaluru for deployment in the rain-battered southern state.

With water levels rising in various dams and reaching almost their maximum capacity, shutters of at least 22 reservoirs in Kerala have been opened to drain out excess water.

Heavy rains for past two days and release of water from the Idamalayar dam yesterday, resulted inlocalised flooding in low lying areas in the northern districts of Kerala.

The flood water also triggered the landslide in some places.