The death toll from the severe landslides in Kerala has risen to 158, with over 220 individuals reported missing.
Rescue teams are working tirelessly, searching through the wreckage of collapsed homes for any survivors.
The landslides, triggered by heavy rains early Tuesday, devastated the region, flattening houses and uprooting trees. The ongoing rain is complicating rescue efforts.
This disaster, the worst to strike Kerala since the 2018 floods that claimed over 400 lives, has heavily impacted Wayanad district, particularly in Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas surrounded by tea and cardamom estates.
Rescue operations, which were halted late Tuesday, resumed on Wednesday morning.
Visuals from the scene highlight the extent of the destruction, with uprooted trees blocking roads and homes reduced to rubble. A local reported seeing mud-covered bodies in various positions inside a house.
So far, more than 3,000 people have been rescued and relocated to 45 relief camps. Among those still missing are plantation workers and migrant laborers.
The army, navy, and air force, along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local police and fire teams, are leading the rescue efforts.
Photos depict rescuers pulling survivors from beneath boulders and working to construct temporary bridges to access isolated areas.
The heavy rains and challenging terrain are hindering the rescue operations. Key bridges have been destroyed, complicating access to remote regions.
Air force helicopters were deployed to evacuate individuals stranded in Mundakkai, while the army used ropes to cross a swollen river in Chooralmala to reach stranded residents.
Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, stated that the area was not typically prone to landslides, which contributed to the high casualty rate as many villagers were caught off-guard.
On Wednesday, several opposition MPs called for the landslides to be declared a national disaster.
Rahul Gandhi, leader of India’s opposition and former MP for Wayanad, had to cancel his planned visit to the affected region due to warnings of hazardous travel conditions.
Source-BBC
