- Rescue teams are digging through mud and debris from landslides in southern India, which have claimed the lives of at least 151 individuals.
- The landslides, which struck the Wayanad district in Kerala state early Tuesday, have also injured 186 individuals.
- Authorities have reported that 187 people are still missing, while 77 deceased individuals have been identified and returned to their families.
On Wednesday, hundreds of rescue workers continued their search through mud and wreckage from several landslides in southern India, which police state have resulted in at least 151 fatalities.
These landslides were triggered by heavy rains that unleashed torrents of mud and water, inundating tea estates and villages.
Authorities reported that 186 others were injured due to the landslides that impacted the hilly regions of Wayanad district in Kerala, leading to the destruction of homes, uprooted trees, and damaged bridges, according to a police officer identified as Aijaz.
OVER 50 VICTIMS RECORDED, MANY MORE UNACCOUNTED AFTER DEVASTATING LANDSLIDES IN KERALA
P.M Manoj, a spokesperson for the state’s chief Minister, indicated that there are still 187 people unaccounted for, while 77 bodies have been identified and mostly returned to their families.
Rescue teams on the second day of their mission after Tuesday’s landslides navigate a river at Chooralmala, Wayanad district, Kerala state, India, on July 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Over 5,500 people have been rescued from the affected landslide regions, noted the state’s chief official, Pinarayi Vijayan.
According to Aijaz, more than a dozen bodies were found overnight as over 300 rescuers continued their efforts to recover individuals trapped beneath mud and debris, with blocked roads and unstable land complicating their operations.
The Indian Army is in the process of constructing a temporary bridge after the primary route connecting one of the severely impacted areas was swept away by the landslides. On-site images showcase rescue workers moving through muck and floodwaters, as heavy machinery works to remove debris.
DEATH TOLL FROM WESTERN INDIA LANDSLIDE REACHES 21
O.S. Jerry, a cardamom estate manager, shared that he frequently traversed the district.
“A lovely school used to be here. It has been severely damaged now,” he said, expressing that numerous homes have been lost.
According to another tea estate manager named Yunus, two villages were completely washed away in the landslides.
“We’ve managed to locate 200 people, but many others are still unaccounted for,” stated Yunus, who uses a single name.
A rescuer comforts a man who lost his home during Tuesday’s landslides at Chooralmala, Wayanad district, Kerala state, India, on July 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
The first of the landslides began at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, with another occurring two hours later. Various regions, including Meppadi, Mundakkai, and Chooralmala, became isolated due to road washouts, causing severe damage to homes, as stated by Vijayan.
“Search and rescue operations for the missing individuals are ongoing with all available resources,” he assured.
Mundakka is located in an area that is particularly disaster-prone. The fast-moving soil, gravel, and rocks reached Chooralmala, which is 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) away.
Manoj reported that over 8,300 individuals have been relocated to 82 government-operated relief centers. The government is ensuring the distribution of food and essential items at these camps.
Authorities dispatched vehicles with 20,000 liters of drinking water to the affected areas. Temporary medical facilities are also being established, according to statements released Tuesday night.
The Press Trust of India reported that upwards of 300 homes have been destroyed in the Mundakkai and Chooralmala districts.
Local media highlighted that a majority of those affected were workers from tea estates. Footage from the scene captured rescue teams navigating through mud and downed trees to reach individuals stranded by the disaster. Vehicles that had been swept off the roads were seen caught in a swollen river. Local news outlets also aired emergency calls from those in need of assistance.
Authorities mobilized helicopters to aid in the rescue efforts, and the Indian Army was called upon to construct a temporary bridge.
“We are exhausting all means possible to rescue our citizens,” affirmed state Health Minister Veena George.
Rescuers on the second day of their mission following Tuesday’s landslides await to cross a river at Chooralmala, Wayanad district, Kerala state, India, on July 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed distress over the landslides in Wayanad, a hilly region within the Western Ghats mountain range, in a post on the social media platform X.
“My heart goes out to all those mourning their loved ones and my thoughts are with the injured,” Modi stated. He announced compensation of 200,000 rupees (approximately $2,388) to the families of the victims.
Kerala’s weather department has issued alerts as incessant rains have caused disruption across the state. Many schools were closed in affected areas on Tuesday.
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Kerala, known for its popularity among tourists, is vulnerable to severe rain, floods, and landslides. In one of the worst floods in 2018, nearly 500 individuals lost their lives in the state.
The Indian Meteorological Department reported significant rainfall across northern and central Kerala, with Wayanad district experiencing up to 11 inches of rain on Monday and Tuesday.
“Monsoon patterns are becoming increasingly unpredictable, and the amount of rainfall received in a brief period has risen. Consequently, landslides and floods along the Western Ghats are now more frequent,” said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist with the Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
Koll also noted the necessity for authorities to monitor the rapid construction activities occurring in landslide-prone areas.
