Landslides in India triggered by heavy monsoon rains hit a tea plantation, killing at least 93 people Tuesday, officials said. About 250 others were rescued from the mud and debris.
The southern coastal state of Kerala was hit by heavy rains, cutting off roads to the affected Wayanad district and complicating relief efforts.
“So far, 93 bodies have been recovered,” Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters. “This is one of the worst natural disasters to have ever hit our state.”
Another 128 people were rushed to hospital for treatment after they were rescued, he said.
“My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones, and my prayers are with those who have been injured,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on social media platform X.
Wayanad is known for its tea plantations that stretch across its hilly countryside and relies heavily on casual labor for planting and harvesting activities.
Several plantations in the district were hit by two successive landslides that occurred before dawn, while most residents were still sleeping.
Photos released by the National Disaster Response Force showed rescuers struggling through mud to search for survivors and carry bodies out of the disaster site on stretchers.
The Indian Army reported deploying more than 200 personnel to the disaster site to support state security forces and firefighting teams in search and rescue efforts.
Kerala state excise minister MB Rajesh said more than 250 people have been rescued so far, the newspaper reported. The Hindu report. (ah/es)
