At least 89 people have died and dozens are feared trapped Tuesday after heavy rainfall triggered huge landslides across the Indian state of Kerala.
A series of landslides started in the early hours of Tuesday morning in the southern region after a period of heavy rainfall saturated the hilly landscape, according to the BBC. Some 250 people have been rescued thus far and transported to rescue camps, while local hospitals are treating at least 129 people for injuries. These numbers are expected to rise as the day progresses.
“The situation continues to remain very grave. The casualties may go up,” Kerala’s top civil servant V Venu told local media. At least 65 people were confirmed dead in the Wayanad district and 16 bodies have been found in the Chaliyar river, which flows into the Malappuram district.
India landslides update: 84 killed, 116 injured, hundreds more still missing – Reuters @MrbamNews pic.twitter.com/6jv7ZI1GU4
— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) July 30, 2024
❗Eight Killed, Hundreds Trapped By Massive Landslides In Kerala
Torrential rains led to the disastrous events in Wayanad district, early Tuesday, with rescue efforts hampered by damaged roads and bridges.
Helicopters are being used to ferry emergency crews into the hilly area,… pic.twitter.com/FZTlLoQOrU
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) July 30, 2024
Footage shared on social media purport show absolute devastation as torrents of red, muddy waters hurtle through infrastructure. (RELATED: At Least 30 Killed, 150,000 Evacuated As Destruction Rages From Typhoon Gaemi)
More than 200 army personnel have been deployed to help both rescue efforts and to secure the region, the BBC noted. Firefighters and other rescue workers are also contributing to the effort, as videos show people cleaning and searching through debris.
It’s believed most of the victims of the disaster were workers for local properties who were likely asleep in their tents when the landslides hit. Some 350 families live and work in the area, which is home to predominantly tea and cardamom estates.
#Kerala has the highest number of major #landslides in India, with 59.2% of the country’s landslides occurring here between 2015 and 2022.
An AI study revealed that 13% of Kerala is extremely prone to landslides, #Wayanad being highly vulnerable. pic.twitter.com/sNCz2BuC6l— Rejimon Kuttappan (@rejitweets) July 30, 2024
45 dead, 250 rescued in India landslideshttps://t.co/jynSYhRrGV pic.twitter.com/ngInjhSjLG
— ECR_Newswatch (@ECR_Newswatch) July 30, 2024
From the footage shared online, it appears Kerala is still undergoing a period of heavy rainfall. The state is in the midst of its monsoon season, according to local news outlets. Red alerts were issued in at least five districts, while seven others were placed under an orange alert on Tuesday.
The southwest monsoon has reportedly intensified due to a low level jet stream, bringing a reported 11 inches of rain to Wayanad within the last 24 hour period (from time of writing).
