'Son died a year ago of cancer, and now Biju'; Kerala wakes up to tragic news of Adimali landslide

IDUKKI: The long hours of rescue operation and hope went in vain as one of the couple trapped in the debris in the Adimali landslide succumbed to death. Biju of Koompanpara died in the incident. Sandhya, one of the couple trapped inside the house, was brought out after a six-hour rescue operation, but Biju could not be saved. Biju's daughter is a third-year B.Sc. Nursing student in Kottayam. The couple’s son died of cancer a year before, said locals.

As per the report, Biju is a carpenter. Biju's son, a 10th standard student, was diagnosed with cancer last year. Despite treatment, he died. The family has no other source of income. Biju and his family had 15 cents of land. They had been living in a house in Koompanpara for about ten years.

Following the heavy rain warning, around 25 families from the area were shifted to the camp. Biju and his wife were among them. They had returned home to collect important documents and have food on Saturday. Sandhya suffered serious injuries to her legs and was taken to the Adimali Taluk Hospital and then shifted to the Aluva Rajagiri Hospital for specialist treatment.

A landslide occurred on the national highway at Koompanpara in Adimali around 10.30 pm last night. A section of the embankment, which was more than 50 feet high, collapsed onto the road and the houses below. Eight houses were destroyed by the landslide.