THIRUVANANTHAPURAM – A series of landslides struck tea estates in southern India’s Kerala state on Tuesday, resulting in over 50 fatalities, according to authorities. The disaster unfolded after heavy rain caused hillsides in the Wayanad district to collapse, sending torrents of mud, water, and boulders crashing into homes.
The landslides, triggered by torrential rainfall on Monday night, primarily affected estate workers and their families, many of whom were asleep in makeshift tents at the time. Rescue efforts are underway amid the debris of uprooted trees and flattened structures, with television footage capturing the harrowing scenes of relief workers and survivors.
P.M. Manoj, spokesman for the state chief minister, reported that more than 50 bodies have been recovered, though establishing an exact count is challenging due to the presence of body parts in nearby rivers. Nearly 350 families, predominantly residing in tea and cardamom estates, have been impacted, with 250 individuals successfully rescued so far. The search for missing persons continues.
The situation has been exacerbated by the destruction of a crucial bridge linking the affected area to Chooralmala. Army engineers have been deployed to construct a temporary bridge to aid in rescue operations. Heavy rainfall is expected to persist throughout the day, with the weather office predicting further downpours.
This tragedy marks the worst disaster in Kerala since the 2018 floods, which claimed nearly 400 lives. M B Rajesh, a state cabinet minister, noted earlier that at least 44 people were confirmed dead and 250 relocated to temporary shelters, though efforts have been hampered by infrastructure damage.
Local resident Rashid Padikkalparamban described the situation, stating that at least three landslides occurred, destroying the bridge and leaving many estate workers and residents feared trapped or missing.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, who recently won the general election from Wayanad, expressed his condolences and urged the union government to provide all possible assistance in response to the crisis.
