On Tuesday (July 30th), heavy rain hit the mountainous regions of Kerala in southern India, triggering a landslide that has resulted in at least 41 deaths and dozens of injuries. Rescue operations have been hampered due to the collapse of a major bridge in the area.
According to reports by Reuters, Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George told local media that over 70 people have been injured, and many others may have been swept away by the Chaliyar River.
Following the landslide in the Wayanad region of the state, Kerala’s Forest Minister A K Saseendran informed reporters, “The situation is very serious. The government has requested all agencies to participate in the rescue efforts. More rainfall is expected today.”
He added that the bridge connecting the affected areas, primarily tea and cardamom plantations, with the nearby town of Chooralmala, has been washed away, and the military has been mobilized to construct a temporary bridge.
Senior official of the National Disaster Response Force, Mohsen Shahedi, stated that rescue operations have been obstructed as vehicles are unable to reach the area due to the bridge collapse.
The Chief Minister’s Office of Kerala stated in a release that rescue operations were ongoing on Tuesday (30th) with two helicopters from the Indian Air Force deployed.
Local news channel Asianet News reported that the landslide has caused significant devastation in the region, resulting in as many as 41 fatalities.
Television footage showed mud and water cascading down, destroying many homes, while rescue personnel navigated through rocks and uprooted trees.
A man was trapped in chest-high mud for several hours, struggling to free himself, as rescue teams made multiple unsuccessful attempts to reach him.
Rashid Padikkalparamban, a resident involved in rescue operations, mentioned that at least three landslides have occurred in the area since midnight, destroying bridges linking the disaster-hit Mundakkai estates and Chooralmala town.
He said, “Many people working in the estates or living in temporary shelters may be trapped or missing.”
Kerala is prone to heavy rain and flooding, with nearly 400 people losing their lives in the most severe flood in 2018.