THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India (Reuters) -Landslides swept through tea estates in Kerala, killing over 50 people. The Wayanad landslide disaster occurred as hillsides collapsed after heavy rain. Rivers of mud, water, and boulders destroyed homes of workers and villagers. #WayanadLandslideDisaster
The hillsides gave way after midnight following torrential rainfall in Wayanad. The Wayanad landslide disaster occurred in Kerala, a popular tourist destination. Most victims were estate workers and their families asleep in makeshift tents.
Television visuals showed relief personnel working amid uprooted trees and flattened tin structures. Boulders lay strewn at the site with muddy water gushing through.
One man was stuck in chest-high mud for hours, television showed, struggling to free himself until rescue workers finally reached him.
“Relief workers have found more than 50 bodies, but establishing a proper count is difficult. They have spotted many body parts in the river,” said P.M. Manoj.
Nearly 350 families lived in the affected region, which mainly comprised tea and cardamom estates. State officials reported rescuing 250 people so far, but many others remain missing.
Army engineers built an alternate bridge after the original bridge, connecting the affected area to Chooralmala, was destroyed. #WayanadLandslideDisaster
The weather office reported extremely heavy rainfall over north and central Kerala on Tuesday. They predict more rain throughout the day.
