Chennai woman dies after being trapped in Kottayam landslide, friend injured

CHENNAI: A 35-year-old woman from Chennai died and her friend sustained injuries after a landslide hit them while they were returning from Vagamon in Kerala’s Kottayam district following heavy rains according to a Maalaimalar report.

The deceased was identified as Sangeetha Arul Lal (35) of Jawahar Nagar in Chennai.

According to police, Sangeetha and her friend, who is also from Tamil Nadu, were travelling on a two-wheeler when the landslide occurred at Velathucheri near Teekoy.

Landslide incident in Kottayam

The two were reportedly returning from Vagamon, a popular tourist destination in the district, when soil from the hillside slid onto the road. Sangeetha was trapped beneath the debris, while her friend escaped with injuries.

On noticing the incident, local residents rushed to the spot and began clearing the soil in an attempt to rescue the trapped woman. Sangeetha was eventually pulled out and taken to a nearby hospital. However, doctors declared her dead on arrival, police said.

Her injured friend was also taken to the hospital for treatment. Police said her condition was stable and that her family members had been informed about the incident.

Minor landslides

Meanwhile, minor landslides were reported from several locations in the hilly areas of Kottayam district following heavy rains.

A house was damaged in another landslide at Mangalagiri near Teekoy. Officials were monitoring the situation in the affected areas amid continued rainfall.

House damage due to landslide

In a separate incident, a house was damaged by a landslide in the Peringulam area under the Poonjar Thekkekara panchayat.

Police said one person went missing in the incident, while two others were rescued.

A search operation has been launched to trace the missing person, officials said. Rescue teams and local authorities are continuing to monitor landslide-prone areas in the district.