Kerala never experienced such a disastrous Friday in the recent past.
The state, which is in the midst of its fight against Covid-19 pandemic, confirmed loss of 47 lives because of rain fury, landslides and a flight accident in a span of 16 hours on Friday.
The day started with a landslide, wrecking a tea plantation workers' neighbourhood in Rajamalai in Idukki district at around 4.30 am. Eighty people lived at the place that lies 28km north east of Munnar town. Eighteen bodies were recovered from the debris till Friday midnight.
Heavy rain too wrecked havoc in different parts of the state, killing seven persons, injuring six and destroying 12 houses fully and 735 partially. Rain is expected to continue for one more day and red alert has been issued in four districts for Saturday.
The third jolt came at around 8.30 when Air India flight from Dubai skidded off the runway at the Karipur International Airport in Kozhikode, fell into a valley 35-feet deep, broke into two pieces, killing 17 persons on board. This was the first major flight accident reported in the state.
Apart from this, Kerala recorded highest single-day Covid infections with 1,251 cases and five Covid deaths, taking the total death toll in a day to 47.
