Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 21 -- Flash floods and landslides due to heavy rains have claimed the lives of nine persons and left several people missing in Keralam over the past 24 hours as heavy rains continue to pound the State.

Nine deaths were reported from Malappuram, Kottayam and Idukki districts. Rescue operations have intensified in Malappuram, where several people went missing after flash floods and landslides.

Five people were swept away in flash flood at TK Colony in Amarambalam, Nilambur on Sunday. Rescue workers recovered the body of one victim from the Pottikkallu Muttikkundu area and another from the Antonykkad Ayanikkundu region. Both bodies bore severe injuries sustained from crashing against rocks. The search operations l...