Wayanad: Massive landslides kill 93, trap dozens in Kerala

At least 93 people have been killed and dozens are still feared trapped after heavy rains triggered massive landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala.

The landslides struck hilly areas in Wayanad district in the early hours of Tuesday.

Rescue operations are under way, but are being hindered by heavy rains and the collapse of a crucial bridge.

“The situation continues to remain very grave. The causalities may go up,” V Venu, the state’s top civil servant, told media.

The landslides are the worst disaster to hit Kerala since 2018, when deadly floods killed more than 400 people.

Officials say more than 200 army personnel have been deployed to assist security forces in search and rescue efforts.

Local hospitals are treating at least 129 injured, and around 250 people have been rescued and shifted to rescue camps so far.

Apart from 65 confirmed deaths in Wayanad, 16 bodies have been found in the Chaliyar river, which flows into neighbouring Malappuram district. The body parts of a few others have also been found.

Wayanad, a hilly district which is part of the Western Ghats mountain range, is prone to landslides during the monsoon season.

The landslides have hit several areas in the district, including Mundakkai, Attamala, Chooralmala and Kunhome.

Videos on social media showed muddy water gushing through unpaved streets and forested areas, washing away homes and leaving people and vehicles stranded.

A bridge connecting Chooralmala to Mundakkai and Attamala has collapsed, isolating the two places and making it difficult for rescue personnel to reach trapped families.

Rashid Padikkalparamban, a resident, told Reuters news agency that at least three landslides had hit the area around midnight, washing away the bridge.

State and national disaster relief teams are conducting rescue operations. Several locals too have been helping out.

Mr Venu said a small team had managed to cross the river and reach the areas that were cut off. He added that more resources were required, but strong river currents were making it difficult for rescue personnel to cross the river.

Air-relief operations also had to be postponed due to heavy rains, he said.

Raghavan C Arunamala, a local, described horrifying scenes.

“I saw a man trapped in the debris shouting for help. Firefighters and rescue workers have been trying to reach him for the last few hours,” he said.

Local media reports say that people are flocking to hospitals to search for their loved ones.

Nearly 350 families are believed to have lived in the affected regions, where a number of tea and cardamom estates are located.

Most victims are people who worked on the estates and were likely asleep in their makeshift tents when landslides struck.

Wayanad district and neighbouring areas are still on alert due to the forecast of heavy rains.

Schools and colleges were closed in 10 of 14 districts.

In 2019, 17 people had died after a landslide hit Puthumala in Wayanad, around 10km from the areas currently affected.

Tuesday’s tragedy came up in India’s parliament as well with Vice-President Jagdeep Singh Dhankar – the chairman of the upper house – calling it a “very painful situation”.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is a former MP from Wayanad, is set to visit the district on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had spoken to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and assured the federal government’s help in relief efforts.

Mr Modi also announced compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,388; £1,857) to the victims’ families and 50,000 rupees to the injured.