At least four persons were feared killed in a landslide at Rajamala in Munnar in Idukki district following heavy rains early Friday, according to Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan.

Mr. Chandrasekharan, quoting revenue officials in Iravikulam, told reporters here that local volunteers had rescued at least three persons from under the fallen hill. He said more persons could be trapped inside the slush.

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The victims were tea plantation workers living in buildings that resemble barracks inside the vast estate owned by Tata Tea Company. He said preliminary information suggested a mass of earth had fallen on the residents while they were sleeping at around 4.30 a.m. The Tata hospital in the plantation was treating several of the families.

The government has braced itself for more casualties. The district administration had put local hospitals on stand-by.

The office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said a unit of the National Disaster Relief Force has rushed to the spot from Idukki.

The NDRF has commandeered an earthmover and rescue work was on. Police, forest, fire and rescue and revenue department officials have reached the spot.

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An official said the teams had to negotiate flooded roads, fallen trees and power lines to arrive at the disaster site.

Mobile phone connectivity in the remote locality was patchy. The downpour continued to be intense. The police have set up mobile wireless repeater stations to expand the communication network.

The CMO has requested the help of the Indian Air Force to airlift victims and surveils the locality. If required, the IAF would also ferry relief and rescue material and food, water and medicine packets to the area. The helicopters are likely to deploy from Kochi.

The Indian Meteorological Department had put Idukki under red alert after weathermen forecast that heavy rains would lash the district for the next two days.