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.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed condolence on the Air India Express plane crash in Kerala. In a Message to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said that She was shocked and saddened to news of the Air India Express plane crash in Kozhikode, Kerala, according to a release from PM's press wing. "I understand that the flight was carrying mostly Indian nationals as part of your government's Vande Bharat Mission to evacuate Indian nationals stranded abroad due to COVID restrictions," she said. Sheikh Hasina said that on behalf of the people and the government of Bangladesh, She expressed her deep condolences for the bereaved families, who have lost their near and dear ones in the tragic accident. "Our thoughts and prayers continue for the speedy recovery of those injured."

The tragic death of a pregnant elephant after eating a pineapple stuffed with firecrackers in a village in the Indian state of Kerala has triggered massive outrage there. According to NDTV, the incident took place several weeks back but came to the fore recently when a forest official described the gruesome incident through a Facebook post.

India's health ministry says it has detected its first case of the novel coronavirus in the southern state of Kerala. A student who had been studying at Wuhan University tested positive for the virus.

Seven Bangladeshi young men returned home from India through the Benapole land port on Wednesday night after spending two years in jail.