Landslide
in Southern India; 40 killed
Sam
Asharaf - South Asia Correspondent
Trivandrum, India, Nov. 12 2001 (INS
News) -- Forty persons killed in a major landslide
at Amboori, 30 km from here, in Trivandrum District,
Kerala State.
The calamity occured on Friday night when a portion
of 700 meter high hillside strewn with boulders got
water-logged in heavy rain and come tyumbling down,swept
away odd houses.
24 victims fron a single family who were present for
a betrothal.
The worst natural calamity in Keral in recent years
struck, claiming 40 lives, last night.
Heavy rain lashing in the area and pitched darkness
caused by power failure hampered the rescue operations
and spoiled the chances of finding body.
Power supply in Amboori and nearby area was totally
snapped following heavy rains accompanied by thunder.
The massive joint operations by army, rapid action
force, Police and Fireforce helped in extricating
most of bodies from the debris.
The rescue operations carried out under the supervision
of Inspector General of Police, Southern Zone, V.R.
Rajeevan and Hemachandran Deputy Inspector General
of Police.
A.K. Antony, Chief Minister of Kerala, who was in
meeting with top officials of Police and Revenue,
rushed to the spot with his ministerial colleagues,
assessed situation.
Chief Minister called an urgent Cabinet Meeting
to take stock of the relief measures and to condole
the death of the people in the major landslide,
at Amboori.
The cabinet also decided to extend a relief of Rs,50,000
to deceased and Rs.15,000 to each child victim.
Governmnet
had decided to evacuate families living on both
sides of thee accident site to safer place.
Anton said the cabiney felt Government should have
a Disaster Management System to tackle crisis of
similar nature.
President Shri. K.R. Narayanan expressed shock and
grief over the loss of lives and damage to the property
in land slide in Trivandum District.
The President in his message wished the injury a
speedy recovery.
Mrs, Sonia Gandhi expressed shock and distress over
tragedy.
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