Dozens missing as landslide in India kills 158

The death toll from a massive landslide in the southern Indian state of Kerala has now risen to 158, while officials say 187 people are still missing.

Rescue operations that were halted on Tuesday night resumed on Wednesday morning.

The landslide was the worst disaster to hit the state since 2018, when floods killed more than 400 people.

Indian flags were flown at half-mast at government buildings in the state for two days in his memory.

The disaster that struck the Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas of Wayanad district has “wiped out an entire area,” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told a press conference on Tuesday.

The district and surrounding areas were on alert due to heavy rains on Wednesday. Schools and colleges were closed in 12 of the state’s 14 districts.

Joint rescue operations are being carried out by the army, navy and air force along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and police and fire brigade teams.

More than 3,000 people have been rescued and moved to 45 relief camps.

On Tuesday evening, air force helicopters carried out search and rescue operations to evacuate people trapped in Mundakkai, which was cut off by a river because of the disaster.

A small team of rescuers crossed the river and reached the area, officials said.

“Until 10 p.m. [16:30GMT] “We rescued 70 people last night, after which we had to stop due to bad weather and rains,” NDRF Commander Akhilesh Kumar told news agency ANI.

Rescue efforts have been hampered by heavy rain in the area.

In Chooralmala, the army said it used ropes to cross the flooded river to assist and carry out rescue efforts.

Rescue teams plan to build a temporary bridge across the river to reach those still trapped.

The landslides occurred at around 02:00 Indian time on Tuesday. [20:30 on Monday] in an area surrounded by tea and cardamom plantations.

Mr Vijayan said the area was not prone to landslides and the sleeping villagers were caught by surprise, leading to the high number of casualties.

Among those still missing are plantation workers and migrant workers who once lived here.

Rescue workers said they were searching for survivors under collapsed roofs and the rubble of destroyed homes.

A local man told news agency PTI that he saw mud-covered bodies sitting on chairs and lying on beds in a house.

Rahul Gandhi, India’s opposition leader in parliament and former MP from Wayanad district, said his plans to visit the disaster-hit area were cancelled after authorities warned him that “continuous rains and adverse weather conditions” would make it difficult for him to travel.

His Congress party raised the issue of the disaster in parliament on Tuesday.