Search continues for body

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 13. The search for the body of one of the victims of the landslip at Amboori, Lakshmikutty Amma alias Ammani Amma (60), is continuing for the fourth day at the disaster site at Poochumukku at the base of the Kurushumala Hill in the Neyyar Dam police station limits, on Tuesday.

When contacted, officials at the temporary police control room, set up near the disaster site, said the search was now concentrated on the rear part of the disaster site. An earth mover was being used to sift through the debris, officials said.

Meanwhile, a Fire Force official, Mr. Salim, sustained a fracture to his arm while engaged in the search operations at the landslip site this morning.

A team of expert geologists who were accompanied by the Neyyatinkara MLA, Mr. Thampanoor Ravi, inspected the Kambichal rock that is in a precarious condition atop the landslip prone Kurushumala Hill.

In a release here today, Mr. Ravi said a scheme was being devised to remove the Kambichal rock that was posing a threat to residents in the area. The steps to scientifically remove the rock without upsetting the fragile ecological and terrain balance wound be undertaken soon. The expert team also inspected several other boulders and rock formations that could pose a threat to residents. Several other families in certain landslip prone areas at Kurushumala hill would soon be shifted to relief camps, Mr Ravi said.

The Government has set up an expert committee under the District Collector, Mr. K.R. Jyothilal, to devise a rehabilitation scheme for farmers and residents at Amboori. A relief fund has been set up for the purpose under the chairmanship of Mr. Thampanoor Ravi, MLA.

Steps to prevent epidemic outbreak

The District Medical Officer, Dr. K. Shylaja, said steps were being taken to prevent the outbreak of epidemics at Amboori.

The Public Health Centre (PHC) at Amboori has been equipped with necessary drugs and a medical officer in charge of a five-member team of junior health inspectors has been posted at the PHC. Their services will be available round the clock.

As part of the preventive campaign, as many as 25 wells in the area have been treated with chlorine. Special steps were being taken to curb the spread of epidemics through mosquitoes and flies by spraying pesticides.

A team of doctors also visited the landslip-hit area to take stock of the public health situation.

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Section  : Southern States
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