India’s landslides trap scores and kill 120 people:
In the southern Indian state of Kerala, heavy rains caused major landslides that have killed at least 123 people and left dozens more missing.
When most people were asleep on Tuesday morning, landslides occurred in the Wayanad district’s steep districts.
Although rescue efforts are underway, they are being impeded by intense downpours and the collapse of a vital bridge.
Authorities worry that more casualties will come because approximately 100 people are still stuck in places that are out of reach for emergency personnel.
After floods claimed over 400 lives in Kerala in 2018, the landslides represent the biggest natural calamity to strike the state.
More than 200 army members, according to officials, have been sent to support security services’ search and rescue operations.
At a press conference on Tuesday
Chief Minister Pinari Vijayan declared that the “landslide has wiped out an entire area”.
At least 123 injured persons are being treated in local hospitals, and more than 3,000 people have been evacuated and taken to 45 relief camps, according to him.
In addition to the 65 confirmed deaths in Wayanad, 16 more bodies have been discovered in the Chaliyar River, which empties into the nearby district of Malappuram. There have also been several other people’s body parts discovered.
The Western Ghats mountain range includes the steep district of Wayanad, which experiences frequent landslides during the monsoon season.
Several parts of the district, including Mundakkai, Attamala, Chooralmala, and Kunhome, have been affected by the landslides.
Social media videos displayed muddy water rushing through wooded regions and unpaved streets, destroying homes and trapping people and cars.
Due to the collapse of a bridge that connected Chooralmala to Mundakkai and Attamala, the two locations are cut off from one another, making it challenging for rescue workers to reach families who are stranded.
A local named Rashid Padikkalparamban told the Reuters news agency that the bridge had been washed away at least three times since midnight due to landslides.
With the assistance of locals, state and federal disaster relief teams are carrying out rescue efforts.
A small team, according to Mr. Venu, had crossed the river and arrived in the cut-off zones. He continued by saying that although additional resources were needed, rescue workers were finding it challenging to cross the river due to the strong currents.
According to him, the intense rains also forced the postponement of air-relief operations.
Local resident Raghavan C Arunamala revealed horrific images.
“I observed a man who was stuck in the rubble yelling for aid. For the past few hours, firefighters and rescue personnel have been attempting to get in touch with him,” he stated.
According to accounts in the local media, people are swarming hospitals in an attempt to find their loved ones.
There are several tea and cardamom estates in the impacted areas, where it is thought that approximately 350 families once resided.
The majority of deaths were likely workers on the estates who were asleep in their temporary tents when the landslides occurred.
The district of Wayanad and its surrounding areas are under notice due to the anticipated severe precipitation.
Of the 14 districts, ten had closed their institutions and schools.
Around 10 km from the devastated areas, in Puthumala in Wayanad, a landslide in 2019 claimed the lives of 17 persons.
Rahul Gandhi
The Congress leader and a former Wayanad MP, is scheduled to visit the district on Wednesday.
After speaking with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X (formerly Twitter) that the federal government would assist with relief efforts.
Additionally, Mr. Modi declared that the families of the fatalities will receive 200,000 rupees ($2,388; £1,857) in compensation, while the injured would receive 50,000 rupees.
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