Hundreds Die in Southern India After Several Landslides, Rescue Efforts Underway

On Wednesday, hundreds of rescue workers combed through mud and debris from several landslides that have claimed at least 166 lives in southern India, according to police reports.

The fatalities occurred after severe rains triggered torrents of mud and water that inundated tea estates and villages.

Another 186 individuals were injured in the landslides, which struck hilly areas in Kerala state’s Wayanad district early Tuesday, causing extensive damage by flattening homes, uprooting trees, and destroying a bridge, reported police officer Aijaz, who uses only one name.

Overnight, more than a dozen bodies were recovered as over 300 rescuers worked to extract people trapped under the rubble, though their efforts were hindered by blocked roads and unstable terrain.

The initial landslide struck at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, followed by another two hours later.

Areas such as Meppadi, Mundakkai, and Chooralmala were isolated, with roads washed away and significant damage inflicted on homes, stated Kerala’s top elected official, Pinarayi Vijayan.

“Efforts to locate missing persons continue with all available resources,” the statement said.

Mundakka is located in a disaster-prone region, but the landslides caused soil, gravel, and rock to reach Chooralmala, approximately six kilometers (3.7 miles) away.

Vijayan reported that over 3,000 people have been relocated to relief camps, with the government ensuring the provision of food and essentials. Vehicles carrying 20,000 liters of drinking water have been dispatched to the affected areas.

Temporary hospitals are being established, according to a statement released on Tuesday night. Local media indicated that most victims were workers from tea estates.

Television footage showed rescue workers going through mud and uprooted trees to reach stranded individuals. Vehicles swept off the roads were seen stuck in a swollen river.

Authorities deployed helicopters to assist with the rescue operations, and the Indian army was enlisted to construct a temporary bridge.

“We are looking through every possible method to rescue our people,” said state health minister Veena George.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his distress over the landslides in Wayanad, a district in the Western Ghats mountain range, through a post on social media platform X.

“My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones and my prayers are with those injured,” Modi wrote.

He announced a compensation of 200,000 rupees for the families of the victims.

India’s weather department has issued an alert for Kerala, which has experienced relentless rainfall. The downpours have disrupted daily life, prompting school closures in some areas.

Kerala, a popular tourist destination, is vulnerable to heavy rains, flooding, and landslides. The state faced severe flooding in 2018, resulting in nearly 500 deaths.

The Indian Meteorological Department reported significant rainfall in northern and central Kerala, with Wayanad district receiving up to 28 centimeters (11 inches) of rain over Monday and Tuesday.

“Monsoon patterns are becoming increasingly erratic, and the volume of rainfall in short periods has risen,” said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune.

“This results in frequent landslides and floods along the Western Ghats,” Koll added.