Stories
Siblings Killed in Idukki Mudslide Cremated Amidst Community Mourning
- •Balakrishnan and Chinnu, siblings from Kottakamboor, died after a mudslide collapsed their shelter during heavy rain.
- •Their cremation took place at Kottakamboor public crematorium, attended by MLA F Raja, District Collector Dineshan Cheruvat, and other officials.
- •Minister Anoop Jacob paid respects, visited the injured, and assessed the rain-affected areas, promising rehabilitation for those who lost homes and land.
- •Two houses were destroyed and vehicles swept away in the landslip; an assessment of damage and financial aid for victims is underway.
- •Separately, two individuals, Joseph and Sangeetha Arul Lal, died in landslides in Kottayam district; their remains were handed over to families after postmortem.
Key Questions Answered
The siblings, Balakrishnan and his sister Chinnu, died after a mudslide flattened a shed where they had taken shelter from heavy rain at Kottakamboor in Idukki district. Balakrishnan's wife, Mariamma, was also injured in the incident and received medical treatment.
Minister Anoop Jacob stated that individuals who lost their homes and land will be fully rehabilitated, with houses deemed unfit for habitation being relocated. Immediate financial assistance of Rs 10,000 was distributed to relatives of the deceased, and additional compensation will follow a full crop and property damage assessment.
The victims in Kottayam district included Joseph of Chelakattu in Poonjar Thekkekara, whose house was hit by a landslide, and Sangeetha Arul Lal from Tamil Nadu, who was caught in a landslide while riding a scooter near Velathussery on the Erattupetta-Vagamon road.
