Bodies of the five tourists from Tamil Nadu who went missing at sea at Pozhikkara, Poovar in Thiruvananthapuram district on Saturday evening were recovered on Sunday morning even as the weathermen and the Disaster Management Authority said that heavy rains would continue in Kerala for another 24 hours. They have also warned of the possibility of sea erosion and mudslides.
The bodies of the five tourists from Melepalayam in Thirunalveli were recovered from the sea near South Kollengode and Neerodi in Tamil Nadu. The deceased were identified as Tayyuba (33), daughter Saburnisa (13), and their relatives Sohail (16), Marsuba (14) and Fatima (12). There were no warning signs or life guards at Pozhikkara despite its status as an important tourist destination.
The deceased were part of a 20-member team of tourists, belonging to six families, from Thirunalveli. The four children were trapped in a huge wave when they stepped into the water, presumably for having a bath, and Tayyuba also was caught in a wave when she tried to rescue the children.
Though the local people immediately launched a rescue operation, they could not find the tourists as the sea had turned violent. Soon the police and Coast Guard took over the rescue work but they were forced to abandon the operation due to heavy rains, wind and lightning late Saturday night. The bodies were found after the rescue operation resumed on Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, the Thiruvananthapuram unit of the Indian Meteorological Department and the Disaster Management Authority informed on Sunday that rains could continue across Kerala till the close of Monday. Most places in Kerala have been receiving moderate to heavy and very heavy rains for the past one week.
They warned about the possibility of the sea turning violent and of seven-foot high waves lashing the coast. Fishermen have been asked to be on the alert and strict controls have been imposed on boating in the sea. Tourist destinations in the mountainous regions of the State have been warned of the possibility of mudslides in heavy rains.
Heavy rains had lashed several places in the State on Saturday and Sunday. low-lying areas in Thiruvananthapuram district were inundated in the rains and several parts of the State capital remained waterlogged even on Sunday. The rains affected bus services in the city and uprooted trees caused traffic blocks.