A devastating landslide swept through tea estates in Kerala's Wayanad district, India, early Tuesday morning, resulting in over 50 deaths and leaving many missing.
Torrential rains triggered the landslide, causing hillsides to collapse and sending torrents of mud, water, and boulders into the homes of estate workers and villagers.
The landslide occurred shortly after midnight following heavy rainfall on Monday in the Wayanad district, a popular tourist destination in southern India.
Most of the victims were estate workers and their families, who were asleep in makeshift tents when the disaster struck.
Rescue Efforts Underway
Television footage showed rescue teams working amid uprooted trees and flattened tin structures, with boulders and muddy water complicating their efforts. One man was shown trapped in chest-high mud for hours before rescue workers could reach him.
"More than 50 dead bodies have been found, but it is difficult to establish a proper count as many body parts have been spotted in the river," P.M. Manoj, a spokesman for the state chief minister, told Reuters.
Nearly 350 families were affected by the landslide, with most of them living in tea and cardamom estates.
So far, 250 people have been rescued, but many are still unaccounted for.
The collapse of a bridge linking the affected area to the nearest town, Chooralmala, has further complicated rescue operations. Army engineers have been deployed to construct an alternative bridge to facilitate access.
Weather Worsens
The weather office reported extremely heavy rainfall over northern and central Kerala, with more rain expected throughout the day.
This landslide is the worst disaster in the region since the 2018 floods, which killed nearly 400 people.
Government Response
State cabinet minister M.B. Rajesh confirmed that at least 44 people were killed and 250 had been moved to temporary shelters. He warned that the full extent of the tragedy might be greater.
"We fear the gravity of this tragedy is much more. Rescue operations are being carried out by various agencies on a war footing," Rajesh said.
Local resident Rashid Padikkalparamban described how multiple landslides around midnight washed away the bridge connecting Mundakkai estates to Chooralmala.
"Many people who were working in the estates and staying in makeshift tents inside are feared trapped or missing," he said.
