On Wednesday (July 31), authorities in India reported that a massive landslide in the mountainous region of Kerala, one of the country’s most famous tourist destinations, has caused at least 166 deaths, with the number of casualties expected to rise further. This is the deadliest natural disaster in the state since the devastating floods of 2018.
According to media reports, early Tuesday morning, continuous heavy rainfall triggered multiple severe landslides in the Wayanad district of Kerala in southern India, burying a large number of people. The affected area is predominantly tea and cardamom plantations, resulting in the majority of victims being plantation workers.
Local officials stated on Wednesday that due to the remote location of the incident, the government deployed helicopters and military personnel to participate in rescue efforts. So far, the disaster has led to at least 166 deaths, 195 injuries, 225 people missing, and nearly 1000 stranded individuals have been rescued.
Military personnel involved in the rescue efforts mentioned that ongoing rescue operations are underway. However, the destruction of a bridge leading to the disaster area has made rescue operations extremely challenging. They are attempting to facilitate rescue efforts through the construction of temporary bridges and aerial reconnaissance.
According to local meteorological department forecasts, Kerala is expected to experience continuous rainfall in the next two days, further complicating rescue operations.
Images released by the National Disaster Response Force of India show rescue teams struggling in the mud to search for survivors and retrieve the bodies of the deceased.
In 2018, Kerala experienced the most severe floods in nearly a century, resulting in nearly 400 deaths.