- author, Imran Qureshi
- role, BBC Hindi, Bangalore
-
Heavy rains have triggered massive landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala, killing at least 93 people and leaving dozens more feared trapped.
The landslide hit the hilly areas of Wayanad district in the early hours of Tuesday.
Rescue efforts are underway but have been hampered by heavy rains and the collapse of a key bridge.
“The situation remains extremely serious. The casualties are likely to rise,” the state’s top civil servant, V Venu, told media.
The landslide is the worst disaster to hit Kerala since 2018, when deadly floods killed more than 400 people.
More than 200 army personnel were deployed to assist security forces in search and rescue efforts, officials said.
At least 129 injured people are being treated in local hospitals and around 250 people have been rescued and shifted to relief camps so far.
Besides the 65 confirmed deaths in Wayanad, 16 bodies were found in the Chaliyar river, which flows into neighbouring Malappuram district, along with parts of several other bodies.
Wayanad, a hilly area that is part of the Western Ghats, is prone to landslides during the monsoon season.
The landslides hit several areas in the district, including Mundakkai, Attamala, Choralmala and Kunmholm.
Image source, Arunchandra Bose
Videos posted on social media showed muddy water pouring over dirt roads and into wooded areas, washing away homes and leaving people and vehicles stranded.
The bridge connecting Choralumala with Mundakkai and Attamala has collapsed, isolating the two areas and making it difficult for rescue teams to reach trapped families.
At least three landslides hit the area around midnight, washing away a bridge, resident Rashid Padikalparambam told Reuters news agency.
State and national disaster relief teams are working to help, along with some local residents.
Venu said a small team had crossed the river and reached the isolated area, adding that more resources were needed but strong currents were making it difficult for rescue teams to cross the river.
He said heavy rains had also forced air rescue operations to be postponed.
Raghavan C. Arunamala, a local resident, described the horrifying scene.
“We saw a man trapped in the rubble screaming for help. Fire and rescue personnel have been trying to free him for the past few hours,” he said.
Local media reports said people were flocking to the hospital to search for their loved ones.
The affected area contains numerous tea and cardamom plantations and is estimated to be home to around 350 households.
Most of the victims were farm workers who were likely sleeping in makeshift tents when the landslide occurred.
Image source, Getty Images
Wayanad district and neighbouring areas remain on alert as heavy rains are predicted.
Schools and colleges have been closed in 10 of the 14 districts.
In 2019, 17 people were killed in a landslide at Puthumala in Wayanad, about 10 km from the currently affected area.
Tuesday’s tragedy was also addressed in India’s Parliament, with Chairman of the Upper House Vice-President Jagdeep Singh Dhankhar calling it a “very painful situation.”
Former MP from Wayanad and Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit the district on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter that he met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and assured him of the federal government’s support in the relief efforts.
Modi also announced compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,388; £1,857) to the families of the victims and 50,000 rupees to those injured.
