At least 21 people have been killed and more than a dozen others missing in flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy post-monsoon showers in the southern Indian state of Kerala, officials said Sunday. The deaths occurred mostly in Kottayam and Idukki districts, where several houses were swept away following flooding and landslides Saturday, rendering hundreds of people homeless. Indian armed forces have been carrying out rescue operations alongside the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the local police, since Saturday afternoon. "So far, 21 bodies have been recovered from under the debris but over a dozen people are still missing. Though the showers have subsided, bad weather is hampering rescue operations in some areas," a senior state government official told the local media. Read: Bangkok braces for possible flooding as rains continue Kerala's Chief Minister Pinayari Vijayan held a high-level meeting on Saturday itself and asked officials of the two districts to ensure that all the displaced people were shifted to makeshift camps. "Masks, sanitisers, drinking water, medicines should be made available in camps," local media quoted the Chief Minister as telling the officials. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Moditook to social media to condole the deaths. "It is saddening that some people have lost their lives due to heavy rains and landslides in Kerala. Condolences to the bereaved families," he tweeted Sunday. The country's main opposition Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is a lawmaker from the state of Kerala, also tweeted his condolences to the families of those killed in the deluge. Read: Faridpur flood: Over 2000ha cropland submerged for nearly four weeks "My thoughts are with the people of Kerala. Please stay safe and follow all safety precautions," Gandhi tweeted. Kerala and the western Indian state of Maharashtra witnessed the heaviest monsoon rains this year. In Maharashtra, over 100 people died in landslides in July. Three years ago, in August 2018, over 400 people died in Kerala in what was touted as the state's worst flooding in a century.

At least 36 people have been killed in landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, officials said on Friday. All the deaths occurred in three landslides in the state's Raigad district, some 70 kms from capital Mumbai, on Thursday, where several houses were swept away following heavy rains and consequent flooding. "While 32 people died in Taliye village, four people were killed in Mahad city. Rescue operations are still on," Raigad district collector Nidhi Chaudhary told the media. In the neighbouring rain-hit Satara district, some 22 people are feared trapped at two different locations. "Choppers have been pressed into action to ferry people to safer locations," Satara's police chief Ajay Kumar Bansal said. Read: 2 Rohingyas killed in landslide at Rohingya camps Local TV channels beamed footage of live rescue operations in both the districts. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to offer condolences to the families of the deceased. "Anguished by the loss of lives due to a landslide in Raigad, Maharashtra. My condolences to the bereaved families. I wish the injured a speedy recovery." "The situation in Maharashtra due to heavy rains is being closely monitored and assistance is being provided to the affected," the PM added. Maharashtra is experiencing the heaviest July rains in four decades. Read: Indonesia landslides death toll rises to 126, dozens missing Barely five-six days back, some 30 people were killed in house collapses triggered by heavy monsoon rains in Mumbai. The deaths occurred in the hilly Chembur area, a suburb, and in the neighbouring Vikhroli area. The Indian PM then announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased. Building collapses are common in India, particularly during the monsoon months of June, July and August. Poor construction quality is often blamed for such collapses.