OAN Staff James Meyers
8:22 AM – Monday, July 29, 2024
Over 93 people have been killed and dozens are still trapped after harsh rain caused tragic landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala, India.
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The landslides struck hilly areas in the Wayanad district of Kerala early on Tuesday morning.
Rescue operations have been underway but workers are struggling to reach the district of Wayanad, due to bridges collapsing and roads being swept away. State officials said over 400 families were stuck in remote villages, because the only road connecting them to the rest of Kerala had been cut off.
“The situation continues to remain very grave. The casualties may go up,” V Venu, the state’s top civil servant, told the media.
These are the worst landslides to hit Kerala since 2018, when horrific flooding killed over 400 people.
Chief Minister Pinari Vijayan stated that Tuesday’s “landslide has wiped out an entire area”.
Officials stated that local hospitals are treating at least 123 injured people, with over 3,000 people being rescued and moved to 45 relief camps. Footage showed water barreling through extremely damaged residential areas.
Wayanad, is considered an area full of hills that is prone to landslides during monsoon season.
The India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday that large rainfall is expected to continue in Kerala for at least the next 24 hours, issuing red alert warnings for multiple districts. Schools in the area were also closed due to the heavy rain causing flooding.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that he had spoken to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and said the federal government will aid the situation.
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