3 of a family die in sleep as landslide buries their house

Malappuram: Three members of a family at Poochaal in Cherukavu village near Kondotty in Malappuram district died on Wednesday as a portion of their house got buried in a landslide.

Kannanari Veettil Asees, 38, wife Suneera, 34, and youngest son Ubaid, 6, died in the accident while the couple's elder sons Uvais, 19, and Unais, 17, had a miraculous escape from the tragedy. According to locals, one side of the house got buried in the landslide occurred around 1.30 am on Wednesday.

The bodies of Asees and Suneera were recovered within hours after the rescue operations. Body of Ubaid was recovered almost seven hours after the incident.

Rescue operations were affected by the incessant rains.

Fishing boat unable to dock

Coastguard station, Beypore said on Wednesday that a fishing boat named 'Al Juair' was trapped in the sea about 250 nm off Ponnani harbour due to a defect in its engine. “All the six fishermen are safe,”they said. The Coastguard rescue boat had to return to the shore due to bad weather. The operations would resume soon after the weather turns clear, they said.

Water levels have gone up in the Chaliyar river also, forcing those living on the banks to evacuate. In the heavy rain, land caved in near Edavnna police station on Wednesday morning. Traffic through the Koottilangadi bridge has been stopped temporarily due to rise in water level. Traffic has been disrupted in the Manjeri-Pandikkad road due to a landslip in the morning. Vehicles are being diverted through the Kovilakamkund bypass.

National highway in Angadippuram is submerged in the incessant rain. As the water level rose in Cherupuzha river, a large area of paddy fields in the banks were submerged, destroying crops.